Kingdom Hearts II: Dual Destinies
by MegaFlameHedge
Summary: AU KH2 An alternate KH2 begins rather slow, as Roxas fails to merge with Sora, but later on new twists are revealed: A member of the Organization having a counter scheme, once forgotten memories returning, the return of forgotten foes, etc. Currently being revised.
1. A Very Long Prologue

Hello! Tis I, Mega, brining you my fanfic known only as Kingdom hearts II: Dual Destinies. Now, if you read my blasted summary, you probably know that this is an alternate version of Kingdom Hearts II. Yes, it starts with a VERY similar scenario on the first day, but I did mix it up. The rest of the days following have their own differences too, though I kinda wish I had made day five a bit more original. Anywho, I shouldn't ramble on, so I'll just leave you with the prologue. As a warning, it's VERY long. 44 pages, in fact. Oh, and one thing I will point out in advance: Riku has been changed in a different way than he was in the actual game. So, don't hurt me! And, btw, no flames. Got it?-runs off-

Disclaimer: I do not own the KH series. -sniff-

**Kingdom Hearts 2: Dual Destinies**

Prologue: Day 1

Light and darkness have always been and will continue to be eternal. Really, you can't have one without the other. Still, there is always something lost between the two, lacking purpose and the chance to truly exist. Nobodies, as these nothings are called, are incomplete beings longing for a purpose. The one thing that keeps these beings from being whole is their lack of a heart. However, Organization XIII, made up of the most powerful nobodies, plans to change all this. They seek a goal that will truly make them exist, and that is… Kingdom Hearts…

**_Twilight Town_**

Moonlight glistened across the paved ground in the middle of an alley in a place only known as Twilight Town. Sounds of whispers filled the air, while a single lingering thought filled the mind of a blonde haired boy.

"_Where am I…? What's going on?"_

"He seems… younger than the rest, but he will have to do," whispered a mysterious voice. "The nobody of the keyblade's chosen one. How unlikely the whole notion is, but still, there he is…"

"But, are you sure he's cut for the organization?" replied another voice.

"Believe me; he will be once we're through with him."

"…If you say so, Xemnas… if you say so."

Two mysterious figures, both wearing cloaks as dark as the night sky, crouched over a blonde haired teenager, who had simply appeared not long ago. It was somewhat mysterious how the boy ended up there, but he had a special gift that few others could accomplish: the ability to wield the keyblade. This blade was a legendary weapon which, in the right hands, could bring peace to the worlds, or if put to evil uses, could cause panic and destruction. Such a powerful weapon, however, could not be wielded like a simple sword, nor could it be claimed. Instead, the keyblade chose one with a strong heart and a worthy purpose to carry it throughout the worlds.

Anyway, the two hooded figures were members of Organization XIII, who happened to be a group of powerful creatures called nobodies. Now, what is a nobody, you ask? Well, when someone with a strong heart gives into the darkness, they become a beast known only as a heartless, but their body is reborn as another creature: and incomplete person called a nobody. As for the boy, well, in reality, he was the nobody of Sora, the Keybarer, who had saved countless worlds and sealed the keyholes. However, to save one of his friends, he had to give up his heart, and, though for a short time, become a heartless. This is why his nobody exists.

By now, this boy was finally awakening. The sights and sounds of the alley around him were utterly new to him, along with the mysterious figures who crouched before him. Because of Sora's short lived time as a heartless, this boy was unaware of his past existence, thus the first thoughts that came to his mind were those of confusion among other things. He did not know who he was, where he was, and more importantly, how he got there.

"W-who are you?" asked the nobody with a shrill sound of fear in his young voice. "And… for that matter, who… am I?"

The first cloaked figure, Xemnas, bent down, now face-to-face with the puzzled nobody. "Don't worry," he said calmly and clearly, "all will be explained soon enough…"

**_End of the road_**

Xemnas and the boy both stood in front of a strange lake in a dark and dismal area. The ground here was dark and dismal, and the lake itself was a pure black pool of pain and sorrow. The only light here was the pale glow from the moon, giving the place an eerie mood. By now, the head of the Organization had begun to explain everything that he'd need to know, at least for Organization standards. Soon, the boy would join the ranks of the Org and become a very useful 'tool' to them.

"You have arrived. I've been to see him," Xemnas whispered, his voice carried by the smooth wisp of the wind. "He looks a lot like you."

"You never did answer my question from before," interrupted the blonde haired 'kid' in a cocky tone. "Who ARE you?"

"I'm what's left… or maybe, I'm all there ever was." muttered the 'Superior'. 

"I meant your name."

"My name is of no importance," Xemnas replied. "And what about you? Have you remembered your true name?"

"My true name…is…"

---------------------------

"Roxas!"

Lying down on a weathered couch in the middle of a secret hideout of sorts was a blonde haired boy named Roxas. Lately he had been having strange dreams about a boy, about his age, and other related things. What was strange about such dreams was that they had been going on for a few days now. Roxas had not known why he was having these dreams, or what they meant, but one thing was for sure: they HAD to mean something, since they were seemingly going non stop. Little did our hero know, all the answers he would ever need would slap him right in the face, but at the moment, his best friend Hayner had just woken him up from his 'beauty sleep'.

Roxas winced, as he found his friend's face just inches away from his, giving a somewhat angry glare. Obviously, Hayner was in one of his bad moods, which actually occurred quite frequently. Well, it was best not to argue with him when his temper was as hot as a bloody inferno, so, though reluctantly, Roxas got his rump off the couch and faced his buddy.

"Alright already," Roxas moaned. "I'm up…"

Arms crossed, and wearing a semi stern look on his face, Hayner replied, saying, "Well, what's your problem? We only have a few days of summer vacation left, and here you are, dozing off while we discuss how to deal with Seifer!"

"Oh, right…" sighed the spiky blonde. "And as usual, that Disciplinary Committee is going around blaming us for their dirty work, right?"

Nearly stomping mad at just the mere thought, Hayner forced a nod. "I swear!" he yelled, "This has got to be the last straw! Why, if that Seifer were here right now, why, I'd… I'd…"

Hayner was dragged aside by Olette, who seemed rather aggravated by Hayner's constant rantings. In a huff, she attempted to silence her angered companion.

"We get it already," Olette grumbled. "Why is it that you boys always have to solve things with violence? It's so immature."

For a moment, Hayner remained silent, as Olette's question made him actually think for a second. His foot tapped on the hard floor of the Usual Spot, and his thoughts circled through his mind. However, it didn't take Hayner long to come up with a, although pathetic, comeback.

"Because it works!"

While Olette and Hayner continued their little squabble, Roxas walked over towards Pence and shrugged. Every day it was the same thing. Seifer and his gang would come up with some way to make Hayner's day miserable, and then he'd go off venting about how much he hated the Disciplinary Committee. He'd even say how if he were given the chance to fight Seifer that he'd surely come out as victor. Whenever Hayner got into this state of mind, Olette and sometimes Pence would try and calm him down, but Roxas didn't bother. Simply fighting wouldn't solve anything, yes, but when Hayner got temperamental, it was best to just stay on the sidelines.

"So, Pence," Roxas said, "what's the deal with Seifer this time?"

"Umm…guys!" Pence moaned, not even paying attention to Roxas' question.

Caught in surprise by Pence's sudden outburst, Olette and Hayner both faced the seemingly shocked kid. Their somewhat pudgy friend seemed to have nearly fallen off of the couch, due to some sudden shock. Even his eyes had this worried glow within them. Hayner quickly marched over to his friend, as unusual as it sounds, and tried to get some answers out of him.

"Something up, Pence?" questioned the easily angered teenager.

"Yeah!" replied Pence, still in shock. "I just saw this white thing skid across the ground! It looked like it was some weird contortionist, and it snatched the!"

All at once, Pence grabbed at his throat. Something wasn't right. As he had spoken, it was as if one of the words just wouldn't come out. Something like that just wasn't natural, and the same thing can be said about a strange white creature, so, quickly, the foursome passed glances toward one another.

"Huh! A white thing?" Hayner exclaimed. "And, our -----! AAH! Why can't I say ----!"

"Looks like something's up," Roxas sighed. "And I'm not just talking about Seifer… whatever Pence saw, it must be powerful if it can steal more than just an object."

Stealing a word? How did that work? Sure, objects could be stolen, but taking something such as a whole word just wasn't possible, or so it seemed. Words weren't physical things that could be touched, and therefore, a simple human being like any of the Disciplinary Committee members. Because of this, the Twilight Town gang realized that whoever the culprit was, it had to be something more than just Seifer. However, while they were in the midst of their worries, the foursome failed to notice a white creature had just skittered across the floor, carrying with it the stolen objects… and the word.

"So, we know that the have been stolen by some creep in white," Hayner grumbled, "but just how long ago did this happen, Pence? Maybe we can catch the thief, so we don't get blamed again!"

Pence shrugged. "Well, I had them while you and Olette were arguing, but a few seconds later, there was this white blur, and then the vanished!"

Well, that's all that needed to be said in Hayner's case, as the hot headed teen rushed out into the back alley and towards the sandlot. You see, he wasn't one to think before acting, and if something were on his mind, Hayner just HAD to go through with it. By now, though, this was pretty routine. So, as usual, Roxas, Pence, and Olette weren't even given a chance to think about the situation, as they darted behind their leader.

Into the alley the foursome ran, hoping to capture the culprit. Unfortunately, though, there were no signs of any white creatures. All that could even be seen in the alley was the paved ground, a few meager signs, and the occasional twig. Nothing unusual stuck out.

Finally, they reached the sandlot, only to find Seifer and his group trying to fight off a swarm of white creatures. There had to be at LEAST fifty of the buggers, if not more. Why, this was a swarm! Now, Seifer and his flunkies were doing their best to try and fend off these strange things. However, all attempts to harm the obscure beings appeared to be failing, though, as these weirdos would contort their bodies in odd shapes to dodge any attack that was dished at them.

Now this was amusing to Hayner. Here stood Seifer, trying his expert fighting techniques, yet every single attempt of attack was dodged and dished back by the white creatures. Heck, Roxas, Pence, and even Olette were slightly entertained. After all, the disciplinary committee had caused them so much trouble that it was about time they had gotten their just desserts. Besides, Seifer NEVER had been beaten down before, yet here he stood, barely able to fend off these creatures.

"Man, look at Seifer!" cackled Hayner with glee. "Who's the chicken wuss now!"

It was only after that loud remark that half of the white creatures turned their attention away from Seifer and company and jumped right at Hayner himself. Now both groups had to struggle with the attacks of the mysterious enemies. Seifer, Raijin, and Fujin defended themselves with the struggle clubs they already had, but Roxas and his friends were unarmed, which put them at a disadvantage… for now.

As the manic mayhem in the Sandlot continued, Roxas found that most of the unknown creatures seemed to be moving away from Hayner and the others and towards him. After a few minutes, the whole swarm surrounded the puzzled blonde. Without a weapon, all Roxas could do is back off, that is… until something miraculous happened. Time seemed to come to a sudden halt around Roxas and the swarm around him, but that wasn't the end. In Roxas' hand was a powerful weapon, the one called the keyblade.

At first Roxas was unsure of what to do, but right now it was best not to ponder, but to take action instead, even if this weapon was strange. The first sight of the keyblade seemed to provoke the odd cretins, as they flung their stretchy bodies right at the weapon. Quickly, Roxas defended himself with the keyblade and then he hit back, as if he always knew how to use the thing. The first creature flung back, hitting the rest of the swarm, but soon it charged back once again. Instinctively, Roxas rolled underneath his attacker and struck the beast from underneath.

Once the first white creature was destroyed, ten more attacked in its place. Running as fast as he could, Roxas hacked at these little cretins with his keyblade while trying to keep them dizzy. However, it seemed that with each defeated white creature, a whole lot more replaced them, but still, Roxas stood his ground, still unaware of how he was able to pull of such incredible fighting techniques.

After a few more minutes of hacking, dodging, and jumping, the unknown monsters had all vanished, and time seemed to revert back to normal. Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Seifer's gang all got up; surprised to see the Sandlot looking so quiet when moments ago a chaotic mess had been occurring. Even stranger was that in the center of the sandlot lie a pile of photos.

In a slight huff, Seifer got back on his feet with Raijin and Fujin at his sides… and Vivi struggling behind.

"Hmph," groaned the leader of Twilight Town's Disciplinary committee. "You lamers are quite fortunate this time. If it wasn't for those outsiders breaking the rules around here, your little leader would have been made into mincemeat."

"Yeah," Raijin agreed. "Next time you come around our turf, Seifer'll own you all hands down, y'know?"

"Agreed," muttered Fujin.

Once again, anger coursed through Hayner's veins as he was so blatantly insulted by his enemies, as usual.

"You…" he hissed. "You'll all see! When the struggle comes, why, even SEIFER will wish he was never born! I'll make you all—"

"Come on Hayner," Roxas interrupted, grabbing his friend by the arm. "We got the photos, so let's GO!"

"Roxas is right," Olette agreed. "Besides, you've made a big enough fool of yourself today."

The Usual Spot

Back in their hangout, Roxas and his friends stood examining the once stolen photos. Every one seemed to have Roxas in at least SOME part of the picture. Even if he was just in the background, not a single picture lacked the young lad. The question was: Why were the thieves after all these photos? Well, whatever the white creatures were, they sure seemed to want something to do with Roxas.

"You know," Pence said quietly, "I wonder what those things were… and why they stole those pictures of you, Roxas. Do you have any idea?"

"Uh…not really… They just, sorta jumped at me, and everything froze… well, besides them… and me."

"I think somebody is still half asleep," Hayner joked. "Everything… freezing? What is wrong with you?"

Roxas frowned. "I guess you're right. It's not like time can just stop all at once. Well, I think I've had enough 'fun' for today. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

As Roxas walked out towards the alley, Hayner gave him a small push.

"Hey, just relax," he said. "I know what you need, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out."

"Alright… see ya, Hayner."

_**Somewhere**_

"So, how much longer will this take?" groaned an ignorant young voice. "I brought you the nobody, so Sora SHOULD be back to his old self soon, right?"

In a strange computer room in the basement of an old mansion stood two mysterious figures, one dressed in red with bandages over his face, and the other wearing a black cloak. On the monitors of the computer were several images related to Sora. You see, a little over a year ago he and his friends Donald and Goofy had set foot into a place called Castle Oblivion, and as they made their way towards the top, their memories began to fade. Had it not been for a nobody named Axel releasing a girl known as Namine, Sora may not have been given the chance to get his memories restored. Anyway, Sora had been put in a special stasis pod for quite some time while his memories began to return. By now, everything was starting to fill in, and pretty soon, Sora would remember everything besides his little adventure in the castle.

"Do not fret," replied the man in red, DiZ. "Your friend should be fine as long as Roxas is reunited with him once his memories return. If something were to happen to that nobody, Sora would only be half as strong as he should, and that would make him almost useless in my plans."

"Oh yes, your so called 'plans'. Hmph. Now, tell me, DiZ, I've waited all this time, and now I want to know… what ARE you after?"

"There is one thing I want more than anything, child," DiZ explained. "What that is simple: Revenge on those who caused me all this pain. I want to use Sora to destroy Organization XIII."

_**That night in Twilight Town**_

More and more dreams about Sora filled Roxas' mind. Scenes of Sora's first time meeting Donald and Goofy, his search for Riku and Kairi, and even his adventures in many of the worlds were all there. Of course, Roxas did not realize that all of these dreams would have an effect on Sora's memories, but sooner or later that would change. Namine would make sure of that.

Unknown to Roxas, a girl with long blonde hair was standing at the side of his bed, watching him carefully. She was none other than Namine, the nobody of Kairi, and the very reason Sora's memories were altered and also the reason those same memories would be restored. However, this would not stop her from trying to help Roxas as well.

"I have to tell him," Namine whispered to herself. "Roxas has to know the truth about everything. Maybe then he can escape this virtual trap before it's too late!"

End of Prologue: Day 1

Day II

Roxas awoke quickly. His dreams from the previous night had explained what that key weapon from before was, but they also seemed familiar to him in other ways. Donald, Goofy, Riku, Kairi, they all seemed like people he knew… but how? All his life he lived in this town, right? It'd be impossible for Roxas to know any of these people. So, in his mind, Roxas decided to ignore the dreams for now, at least. Plus, Hayner apparently would have a surprise for him, so it was best to head over to the usual spot.

_**The Usual Spot**_

When Roxas arrived at his favorite hangout, he was greeted with smiles with his three friends. It seemed that Hayner had told Pence and Olette about his little surprise for Roxas. Still, there was something almost eerie about this utter happiness, but hey, it certainly beat Hayner's usual Seifer rantings.

"Well, it's about time you got here," Hayner snickered. "Boy do we have a surprise for you! Check this out!"

Quickly, Hayner reached into his pant pocket and pulled out four tickets of some kind, and he handed one right to Roxas. Written on the tickets was: "Twilight Town Express Ticket: To Sunset Beach". After all the suspense, Hayner's big surprise was a strip to the beach! This was shocking, since trips to the beach weren't exactly the cheapest things around.

"Tickets to the beach?" Roxas asked, startled. "But Hayner, I thought you were broke."

"Let's just say I gave up some of my own savings for a friend, and Pence and Olette chipped in too," Hayner replied. "You've been acting so strange lately, as if something's been bugging you, and I hate to see ya like that, man. We only have a few days left before school starts again, so why not make the best of them? The beach may be expensive, but you just can't have a great summer vacation without at least one visit there."

"Plus the beach sure beats worrying about Seifer's gang," Olette giggled.

"I even threw in some extra money so we can all buy some sea salt ice cream!" added Pence.

While Roxas' and his friends enjoyed a quick conversation, Namine stood just outside. Today she would try to talk to Roxas alone, which meant dragging him away from his friends, but what did that matter? This Twilight Town wasn't real. It was just a simple simulation of the true Twilight Town made to hold Roxas while Sora recovered. Therefore, the friends were simple illusions, thus they didn't matter.

Back inside, Roxas and his friends were preparing to head to the station. The group needed their swimming gear, some towels, and any other necessary gear for a day at the beach before they could go. About five minutes passed before Roxas, Hayner, Pence, and Olette were set for a day of fun. So, with everything ready, the four friends set out for the station.

"So, Roxas," Hayner suddenly said, "you ready for the struggle finals? They're going on tomorrow, and at least one of us has to win, right?"

"Of course," Roxas said calmly. "But right now—"

All at once, time seemed to freeze once again as Namine walked right past Roxas, as if motioning him to come along. What the heck was going on? For a few seconds, Roxas remained in place when that girl once again passed him. Was she trying to tell him something by playing this little 'game'? Well, there was only one way to find out, and that was to follow Namine. Besides, time was frozen, so it's not like Roxas would miss his trip to the beach, right?

Namine passed Roxas a third time, but instead of just standing there like before, he actually followed the girl. She didn't seem to speak to him or look back. All she did was walk on forward. First she entered the Tram Common, and then entered the woods, all before she reached the "haunted" mansion. From there she seemed to vanish. So, this strange girl apparently wanted Roxas to enter the mansion, but how? The gates were locked tight, and he had no key… or did he?

Suddenly, Roxas remembered the keyblade from when he took on the white creatures. In his dreams, Sora used the keyblade to open locks as well as seal keyholes, so maybe Roxas could do the same! The problem was… how would he get the keyblade to pop up again? Just then, another thing hit the blonde haired teen. Sora could make the keyblade pop up whenever he desired by concentrating hard enough. If such a thing were true for Sora, what was stopping it from working the same way with Roxas?

Eyes closed, Roxas tried to call forth the keyblade. At first, nothing seemed to be happening, but sure enough, after a short wait, the large key-shaped weapon materialized in his clutches. So, now that he had the keyblade, it was time for Roxas to test the weapons powers. Lifting it up, he hoped that the gates would open, and lucky for Roxas, they surely did. Now that things were taken care of with the gate, it was time to enter the mansion and see just what the girl wanted from him.

_**Inside**_

The mansion itself was broken down and very musty. Several paintings had fallen off the walls, and dust was on every piece of furniture. There were two flights of stairs leading to the same upper floor were two doors stood. One was to the left, and the other to the right. In the middle of that upper floor stood Namine, waiting. Roxas ran up the stairs, but the girl had already entered the room on the left. Slightly unsure, he ambled behind her and entered the room.

Inside, everything was practically white. There were several drawings on the walls of the room, and at the center stood a long white table. That was where Namine was sitting.

"Hello, Roxas," she said in a pleasant tone of voice. "I've been waiting for you… and, feel free to sit down."

Roxas was a bit unsure about this. How could someone he had never met know his name, let alone be waiting for him? Either way, it was best to listen to what she had to say. Who knows, it could end up being informative. Or, perhaps, she knew about the weird dreams. Because of those thoughts, Roxas quietly sat down at the table.

"Who are you?" he asked. "And, how do you know me?"

"My name is Namine," replied the girl. "As for how I know you, Roxas, well, I am one of the reasons you're here in the first place."

"What do you mean?"

"Let me explain," Namine replied. "Let me first say that I know more about you than you could ever imagine. What I have to say is solid truth, and it may hurt, but if you really want to know who you are and why you've been having the strange dreams, then you will have to face your past."

Roxas scratched his head. "My…past? But, what about my past has to do with my dreams? I've always lived here and, well… never mind. Still, I just don't get what's been going on, with the white creatures, and time freezing up, so maybe you CAN help me."

"Alright. You see, Roxas, the boy you keep dreaming about, Sora, is more than just a creation from your mind. In truth, Sora is—"

"Namine!" growled the same arrogant voice that had come from the boy in the black cloak. "What are you doing! If you tell him the truth, the whole plan will be ruined!"

Plan? What could that mean? Was Roxas being used? Instead of becoming clearer, it was as if everything just started to become even more puzzling. The white creatures, this Namine girl, and now the cloaked boy who mentioned dome sort of plans were just too much. Everything was just a mess of confusion. When would it end!

Quickly, the boy grabbed Namine and dragged her off. He seemed to want Roxas to know nothing that Namine wished to tell him.

"Roxas," Namine shouted as she was being dragged away, "come back tomorrow! I promise that we'll be able to talk about EVERYTHING… just the two of us…"

With that, both Namine and the cloaked stranger vanished, just like that. Roxas was left on his own for a few moments, while he tried to figure things out. Well, apparently, this Namine knew something about him that he apparently did not. She mentioned Sora, so maybe he had to do with this. Then there was this cloaked fellow. Plans were mentioned by him, but what did he mean by "the truth"? Whatever was going on would hopefully be explained tomorrow, though, so it was best not to dawdle. After all, Roxas still had to get to the station.

_**Outside the Mansion**_

Roxas stepped out of the mansion and prepared to walk his way back to the station in hopes that he hadn't missed the train. He really didn't know if time had stopped being halted, but either way, the kid wouldn't dare miss out on the beach. Nothing outside the mansion appeared to have changed, but that didn't mean that time was still at a pause. Hurrying was the best thing to do, in truth, since there was no loss in doing so.

Quickly Roxas ran through towards the forest, not noticing yet another cloaked figure watching him from behind the trees. Who was this dude? Well, he was just another member of Organization XIII, but he was somewhat of an oddball. This nobody pulled down his hood, revealing a young face, looking around the late teens or early twenties, and spiky red hair. The guy wore a smirk on his face, as he watched Roxas run off.

"Well, _friend_, I've finally found you," snickered the organization member to himself.

---------------------------------------

When Roxas finally reached the station, he was filled with disappointment. His friends were nowhere to be seen, and it seemed that he trains had all left. Had Hayner, Pence, and Olette gone to the beach without him? Nah, they wouldn't do that. Still, time had apparently unfroze, and surely Roxas would be in trouble with his pals. Why had everything become so difficult recently?

"Where were you?"

Behind Roxas stood Hayner, arms crossed. Just as had been predicted, he wasn't very pleased with Roxas' little disappearance. Olette and Pence were likely to be back at the usual spot, since they weren't anywhere else in the area.

"I… I got distracted," said Roxas with a frown. "While we were heading this way, I felt like time froze again, and this girl kept walking around me, so…"

"A girl?" huffed Hayner. "You're telling me that you abandoned us for some girl? Give me a break…"

Obviously, Hayner was clueless about what went on. Abandoned? Roxas would never do that to his best friends, especially when they were supposed to take a trip to the beach. More or less, Namine just was a distraction, the way she kept on walking by over and over again until he'd follow her. If only Hayner wasn't so hot headed then maybe he'd understand.

"It's not like that…" Roxas muttered.

"Whatever. If you had a girlfriend, why didn't you just say something?" groaned Hayner.

"What!"

With that, Hayner walked off, snickering. Somewhat annoyed, Roxas followed closely behind. Hopefully Pence and Olette would be more understanding than Hayner was. Either way, the day hadn't gone according to plan, but this Namine was interesting, so the whole thing wasn't a total loss. Besides, she said something about the next day and being able to explain everything then.

_**Mansion Basement**_

DiZ and the cloaked boy stood staring at some monitors. So far Sora's restoration was going smoothly. His memories were now at about 28 restored, and such progress was made in just two days. Pretty soon the spiky haired teen would be back to his old self and would be ready to take on the Organization… at least, that's what DiZ had hoped for.

The cloaked boy paced back and forth impatiently. "You know, I could always handle the organization. It would give Sora more time to recover, and maybe then he could check up on the island and Kairi..."

"You do not understand that there isn't time for simple visits," DiZ replied. "Besides, Sora has a strong heart that ISN'T open to the darkness, unlike yours. He's the perfect tool for my plans."

"You obviously don't know Sora the way I do. Why would he let you use him for your own goals? And for that matter, what about Roxas? He's onto us, thanks to Namine, so he might not WANT to return to Sora!"

"Yes, this could mean trouble," DiZ sighed. "Nonetheless, I cannot have my revenge go astray."

_**Station Tower**_

By now, the four friends had decided to take a break and enjoy each others' company atop the station clock tower. As usual, the foursome was having some ice cream and chatting about the day. The beach incident had been brought up quite a few times.

Roxas had tried to explain what happened that day, though Hayner interjected a few times, teasing about the whole 'girlfriend' bit, like before. Thankfully, though, Pence and Olette had been more forgiving than their arrogant friend. In fact, they were slightly interested, but also worried about Roxas. This 'time freezing' thing had now been experienced by him two times in a row. What could be the cause of such a happening when everything seemed normal to the others?

"I don't know what's up with you, Roxas," Hayner sighed. "You sure you're not sick?"

"I'm positive," Roxas muttered in response. "I-I just don't know what's going on. Not only were the freaks in white after me, but this Namine girl seems to know something about me, and then—"

"She's probably just a stalker," Hayner joked.

"Very funny..."

"Hey, I was only joking…"

That night

Yet again the dreams had come back to Roxas. Now they were longer and showed even MORE of Sora's past. Flashes of Sora meeting up with Riku in Traverse Town, the visits to Agarabah, Atlantica, and Monstro were there too. From these dreams, Roxas learned so much about Sora, but even now, an explanation of the dreams was still nowhere to be found. The thing is, these dreams had been continuing for far too long to be 'just dreams'.

_Roxas… I have so much to explain… I just wish that DiZ and Riku weren't so intent on using you… sigh Maybe I'm going around and messing with business that isn't even mine, but… if they take you away, I'll never get the chance to know you…_

For the second night in a row, Namine stood by Roxas' bed side. Worry shone through her visage. If DiZ really could take the time to realize that not all nobodies are "worthless tools", maybe then he'd see that Roxas didn't deserve to be used, even though he held "half of Sora's power". To Namine, Roxas might be proof enough that some nobodies are good inside, but DiZ and Riku just didn't understand.

"There has to be a way…" Namine whispered to herself. "Helping Sora is important, but you, Roxas, don't deserve to just vanish… no one does…"

For a few more hours, she continued to watch over Roxas, but soon the sun would rise. Even though she wanted to stay, Namine knew that, at least for now, she would have to leave. Luckily, though, she knew the perfect way to communicate with Roxas without being caught, so quickly and quietly, the strange girl vanished, eagerly awaiting today's visit with Roxas.

End of day 2

Day 3

Morning came soon after Namine had left. Still, Roxas had slept like a rock, so to speak. His dreams of Sora weren't the only things that lingered in his mind, but along with them, Roxas could have sworn he heard a familiar voice speaking to him… was that…Namine? She mentioned "DiZ" and Riku… the latter of the two names definitely rung a bell, but not this DiZ.

With a shrug, Roxas hurried out of bed, knowing that not only was today another chance to visit Namine, but it was also the day of the Struggle. This, of course, meant that there was little time for dilly dallying. So, quickly, Roxas got dressed, and then he rushed out the door, not even getting a bite to eat.

While making his way to through the station heights and towards the Tram Common area, Roxas found an enormous crowd of people parading towards the Sandlot. Well, this wasn't good. If everyone was going near the Sandlot, which meant that the struggle would be starting soon! Great, this meant that our blonde haired buddy would have to be even QUICKER. Still, the Namine business was too important to miss… even if it meant being late for the day's events.

On his way to the Tram Common, Roxas was spotted by Hayner, who rushed on over to his buddy.

"Roxas!" shouted the hot headed adolescent. "Just where do you think you're going! The struggle's the other way!"

"Hayner," said Roxas calmly, "I have to go somewhere very important. I know that we made a promise to each other, and I'll be sure to be back before the finals."

"You'd better be," Hayner groaned. "You already missed out on the beach…"

Not another word was said as Roxas turned away from Hayner and darted towards the Tram again.

With everyone out in the sandlot, Tram Common was unusually quiet and empty, or so it seemed. Little did Roxas know, he was being followed by a small group of the same white creatures who had stolen the photos. Because of their weird movements, the beings could get by without making a sound. Still, it was plain to see that the small defeat from before hadn't taken the cretins' minds off of the spiky-haired teen.

As Roxas ran through the barren area, he accidentally bumped into a young man who wore the same type of cloak that the strange boy (AN: -coughrikucough-) , who had interrupted Namine the previous day, had worn. Eyes wide, Roxas backed off slightly.

"Uh… sorry about that," he mumbled. "I'm just in a hurry… so, uh…"

There was not a single response from the man. He just leaned against the wall as if he hadn't even been bumped in the first place. Because of this, Roxas decided to get back on track and head back to the mansion. As for the white creatures, well, they quickly assembled in front of the man, eager for any orders to spoil today's "fun".

"Go on; just make sure he lives. Got it memorized?"

WHOOSH! The mob of white beasts lunged forward, aiming themselves at Roxas. This surprise attack caught the unlucky lad off guard, and he was sent flying towards the ground. Each white creature gave its share of slaps and kicks to poor Roxas. He did try and budge free, but the beings had gotten a head start, which left him at a disadvantage. Nevertheless, he kept trying to fight off these beasts, at least until he could stand up and fight.

Roxas continued to shove away the awkward creatures until, finally, he could stand up. Of course, that wasn't the end yet. Even if these weirdos were pushed aside, they gave another lunge at Roxas. However, this time he was prepared, and immediately, he tried to call upon the powers of the keyblade. Eyes closed, the blondey concentrated, while the beasts before him began to fly towards him. All at once, the keyblade appeared, just as it had before! The demented cretins continued to blaze towards Roxas, but just as they were inches away, the powerful key-shaped weapon smacked the closest white creature.

With the keyblade in his hand, Roxas dove at his enemies. The first three in the mod attempted to slap at him, but they became confused when Roxas made a quick 'reversal' move. Once the three monsters were dazed, they met the metallic pain of the keyblade, head on. POOF! There went three of the little pests, but not before three more gave a lunge. Keeping his ground, Roxas simply ducked and rolled underneath his attackers, just as he had done last time. Unprepared for this sudden move, the creatures hit one of the walls in the Tram, temporarily stunning them, which left them wide open for a keyblade assault.

SLASH! Well, that took care of those three, but, there were still four of the weirdos left, who were 'dancing' around Roxas in a circular fashion. That's right; he was being taunted and surrounded by these little enemies. As this 'dance' went on the creatures came closer to Roxas until they were rubbing up against him and constricting his legs. Soon the constriction was so tight that Roxas was knocked down to the ground and held in place… but why weren't these things attacking any more.

"Well, Roxas," joked the voice of the cloaked man, "your fighting skills seem to have gotten a bit rusty since I last saw ya, _friend._"

With a swift motion, the hood was pulled away, revealing a pair of green eyes, spiky red hair, and a satisfied grin. This cocky character went by the name of Axel.

Suddenly, an image flashed in Roxas' mind, but it was terribly vague. It was TOO vague to even recognize it, in fact. Either way, this stranger was quite the puzzling fellow. Just like Namine, and that boy (AN: iku-ray, again. :3) who mentioned plans; it seemed that this dude knew Roxas pretty well.

"W-what do you mean by 'friend'?" Roxas groaned, trying to break from the grasp of the white critters.

Axel frowned, as if upset. "I guess… they were right," he said sadly. "You don't remember anything… not even your best buddy…"

There was a moment of silence before Axel spoke again.

"The name's Axel. That's A-X, E-L. Got it memorized?" he said, now sounding slightly angered. "And I guess to refresh your memory; I'll have to take more aggressive actions!"

VOOOOSH! In Axel's hands formed two strange weapons with spikes around the edges, neither of the two being any less dangerous than the other. It seemed that this red hot dude wanted to 'rumble' with Roxas. This proved to be true a moment later when Axel gave a signal to the white beasts to free Roxas.

Slightly puzzled, Roxas got up to his feet, keyblade at the ready. The sight of these weapons proved that this matter couldn't be resolved in a peaceful manner. As fast as he could, the blonde teenager darted towards Axel, but the red haired 'friend' was swift, and he managed to dodge this assault .SHOOSH! A flurry of flames flew in Roxas' direction, nearly catching him off guard. Luckily, Roxas made a swift rolling maneuver and hit Axel in the legs with his keyblade.

THUD! Axel toppled to the ground, thanks to that blow from the keyblade, but he wasn't going to give up that easily. Without any other thoughts, Axel reached for his two spiked weapons and gave them a little toss in Roxas' direction. Unfortunately, he was hit by the weapons, though only slightly.

This little move with the dual weapons turned out to be just a distraction so Axel could get back onto his feet. Of course, Roxas didn't know this, and thus the flame attack Axel unleashed came so suddenly that it could not be dodged. A burning slight sensation filled Roxas' upper body as the flames coated the poor boy. Even though the flames hurt, however, Roxas wouldn't give up so easily. He got back up to his feet, grabbed the keyblade, and charged right at Axel, hitting him in the gut.

BANG! The impact of the keyblade knocked Axel right off his feet.

"Hmm… maybe I was wrong," Axel coughed. "You're still the same old Roxas, even if you're just plain clueless."

"But, how do you know me?" Roxas exclaimed. "And, you're my 'best friend'? But… I've never seen you before… I think."

"Heh," snickered the pyromaniac, "looks like they messed you up more than I thought…"

After making that awkward statement, Axel backed off a little and entered a dark portal, still continuing to snicker. Roxas didn't even get a chance to ask any more questions before this red haired stranger vanished from sight. Well, whoever he was, he was just as confusing as Namine, pretty much. Speaking of which, Roxas had completely forgotten about his meeting with the girl!

Who knows how long that little brawl took! Namine could have given up on him by now! Still, there was that slight chance that everything would be fine, and such chances were the only ones that could be taken at the moment, so Roxas had no choice but to continue running towards the mansion. Luckily, the hole in the wall of the tram which led into the forest was only a few yards away, so Roxas charged towards his next destination without a second thought.

Now, as you may or may not know, when one tends to rush things, they often overlook their surroundings. The same can be said for our buddy Roxas. You see, as the blondey ran through the woods, he did not notice a certain dark portal that stood right in his way. Oh, he ran towards the mansion alright, and he came pretty close to reaching the gates, but because he wasn't thinking of this obstacle, Roxas ended up RIGHT in the middle of this vortex.

**_ Destiny Island _**

"Kairi, you've been waiting here all day," groaned the squeaky voice of a young teenage girl.

Out by the shore of a beautiful paradise stood two teenagers, both females. You're probably wondering just who they were, right? Well, one of them, who had brown hair that was somewhat short and curled up near the ends, went by the name of Selphie. As for this other girl, she was, as Selphie referred to her, Kairi. Yes, Kairi, an auburn haired girl with eyes as blue as the ocean was waiting along the shores for a certain someone who was very important to her. That someone was Sora.

"I'd wait forever just to see… him again," Kairi sighed. "You know…Sora… I remember that he promised to come back for me, and until he does, I won't stop waiting."

"Aww, how _romantic_!" Selphie giggled. "When he gets back, you two should share a _paopu fruit_!"

Seplhie's mentioning of a paopu fruit sure didn't brighten the situation. In fact, it just made her miss Sora more. Unfortunately, though, Selphie was just too childish to think of one's feelings at a time like this, and therefore, paid no attention to the small tears dripping down Kairi's cheeks.

"_Where am I?" _questioned a voice out of nowhere.

"Huh?" Kairi sniffed.

Selphie gave her friend a puzzled look. "Something wrong, Kairi?"

"No, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," replied the crimson haired lass.

Selphie tilted her head slightly before turning around. It seemed that she had grown bored of this slow conversation, and thus, she wanted to head home. This happened pretty much every day. Such routine wasn't anything new. Kairi would go to the island after school and wait for a few hours, Selphie would end up getting bored and run over to bug Wakka and Tidus, same old thing.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow…"

After that, Selphie skipped on home, leaving Kairi all by herself. By now, she was alright with this… even though she had missed Riku and especially Sora more than anything.

"Sora… where are you?" Kairi whispered.

_"Sora? I've been hearing that name a lot, actually," _said the strange voice that had spoken in Kairi's head just moments ago_.   
_

"Wha? Who's there!" Kairi yelled in surprise.

_"I could ask you the same question. Anyway, I'm Roxas.   
_

"Ok. I'm Kairi," replied the brunette.

"_Whoa… you're SERIOUS! You've been in a few dreams of mine then."   
_

"I have?"

"_Yes, you, Sora, Riku, and a bunch of other people have filled my dreams a lot recently. I just don't know why I'm having these dreams, though. And here's the weird thing: it feels like I KNOW all of you…   
_

"That IS odd," Kairi muttered. _Roxas… R, O, X, A, S… sounds familiar, but different at the same time._

"_Hey, Kairi, maybe we can--   
_

_**WHOOSH **_

Roxas couldn't say another word, as he blacked out before finishing his sentence…

_ Roxas? Wake up! It's me!_

_Namine?   
_

_Yes. Don't worry, I bought you somewhere safe   
_

Roxas opened his eyes to find himself in the middle of a dark abyss. Everything was shrouded in pure blackness except himself and Namine. This realm seemed so… plain. No light could be spotted, and the darkness descended for what seemed like miles in all directions. How could such a place even exist?

"N-Namine…" Roxas muttered, "Where are we?"

The girl with golden hair simply smiled. "Don't worry about that right now. You see, just as I said, it's JUST us here. Now I can tell you everything."

"Wait!" exclaimed the still dazed boy. "Before you say anything, I need to tell you something. You see, I was heading towards the mansion when I bumped into this creep in a black cloaked who claimed to be my 'best friend.' I've never even met the guy, but the strange thing is, when I looked at him, something flashed before my eyes."

"Oh… you're talking about Axel. Yes, you two ARE best friends… Hm, I guess he heard what happened to you…"

"What do you mean!" Roxas asked in a worried tone "Nothing's 'happened to me' besides these weird dreams and the fact that people I've never met seem to know everything about me!"

Namine frowned. "You know how I said I knew the truth about your past?"

"Yeah."

"Well, do you want to know?"

"Yes," Roxas sighed. "Everything has been so confusing, and lately, I just feel that I might not even know who I am anymore. It's as if everyone else knows more about me than I do, and to tell you the truth, I'm scared."

Smiling sweetly, Namine pulled out a pile of sketches out of nowhere and neatly spread them across the ground. These images depicted many scenes of Sora's adventures, images of friends and foes, that strange boy who had hauled Namine away, a man with red bandages over his face, and even… Roxas and Axel… together.

"I'm sure you're familiar with Sora and his friends," Namine whispered. "You see, something happened a long time ago… and Sora became the chosen wielder of the keyblade. He had to fight the powers of darkness, and even sacrifice his own heart to free someone VERY important to him. Well, let's just say that when Sora's heart was released… it had a VERY big impact on you."

"How so?"

"Well, Roxas… you're… you're not human."

End Day 3 Part 1

Part 2

Those three words that Namine uttered raced through Roxas' mind at a mile a minute. "You're not human," she had said…. But, how could this be true? He surely couldn't be any other creature, right? Or… was there something that the blondey had overlooked? All that he knew was that Namine knew what she was talking about, even if it sounded farfetched.

"W-what do you mean!" Roxas stuttered fearfully. "Not human? But… what else could I be?"

"You're…" Namine continued, "You're a nobody, an incomplete person. Nobodies are created when someone becomes a heartless, but those with strong hearts keep their human form, though visible changes are present. In other words, Roxas, when Sora gave up his heart, he became a heartless, and that impacted you because you're his nobody."

Just now things were beginning to sink in. If Roxas were Sora's nobody, that would explain why he had all of these Sora dreams, sorta. Namine still hadn't said what was causing the dreams.

"Now, the reason you have been having the dreams," continued the golden haired young lady, "is a totally different story. Last year, Sora, Donald and Goofy set off to search for Riku and King Mickey, but on their way, they stumbled into a place called Castle Oblivion. There, I was ordered by a nobody named Marluxia to unchain Sora's memories in order for him to be used as a tool for this Marluxia, and the other nobodies who were planning a rebellion against _Organization XIII_. In the end, though, I was freed and even convinced to return Sora's memories. It's actually been taking a long time, but with each day, another forgotten memory fills in the blanks in Sora's mind, which is why you are having the dreams."

Organization XIII… that name, for some reason, sounded familiar to Roxas.

"Wait, Namine," interrupted the confused nobody known as Roxas, "what's Organization XIII?"

Quietly, Namine arranged a row of sketches, thirteen to be precise. In each drawing was a different person, or nobody, to be precise, in a black cloak. Roxas examined these drawings, and while he did, something caught his eye. In one of the drawings was Axel, but that was only part of the amazement that befell the fifteen year old. What REALLY slapped him in the face was the thirteenth drawing… a picture of himself.

Namine had completely expected this reaction from Roxas. After all, he had no idea that he was even a nobody until just a few moments ago.

"Organization XIII is a group of nobodies who are more powerful than the rest," explained the girl. "Each member was born when a strong hearted person was transformed into a heartless. Axel was a member, though he's been dubbed a rogue now, but he's not the only one who has turned from them. Yes, you were once in the Organization, which is how you and Axel met and became friends. In fact, when you were first taken in, he was the one who had to show you 'the ropes', in a sense."

That actually sounded correct… with this explanation, a few of the holes in Roxas' memories were filling in. He now remembered his friendship with Axel, and how they were inseparable. The thought made him realize why the spiky redhead had been so upset when he learned that he had not been remembered by his own pal.

"So, all Axel wanted is to find me…" Roxas said guiltily, "…because I'm his best friend. I can't believe I ever forgot him… but wait, why did I even end up here? And, why couldn't I remember my time in the Organization?"

"I was just about to bring that up, actually," Namine replied, trying to lighten the mood by smiling. "You see, Sora's memory restoration originally was in Castle Oblivion, but then DiZ…"

Namine quickly pointed at a picture of the man dressed in red with bandages.

"Well, DiZ told me to move Sora to this town because it was a safer location. The problem, though, is that Sora's recovery process was taking a very long time. DiZ wanted to use Sora to destroy the Organization as a revenge plot because the top of the group were his six former assistants who betrayed him. However, if Sora took too long, DiZ's plans would fail, so he called upon Sora's friend Riku for some assistance. This is where you come into play, Roxas.

"DiZ had told Riku all about you, and how it would be possible to keep you close to Sora for a speedy recovery. Riku didn't even need a chance to think about this, as Sora is his best friend who he's known since they both were very young. At about the same time, you had left the Organization to find out why you could wield a keyblade. Well, anyway, let's just say that when Riku found you, he was thwarted by your power. He wouldn't give up so easily, though, and he tried as hard as he could to figure out how to capture you. A few days or so passed, and DiZ told him that in order to defeat someone in the realm of darkness, he would have to become darkness itself. Sora was too important to Riku, though, so, even if it was a terrible thing to do, Riku would take the risks."

Another sketch was pulled out showing a scene of two hooded figures dueling in the middle of a city in the dark realm. One was definitely Roxas, and the other was presumed to be Riku, though his face was covered by a hood.

"When Riku fought you for the second time, he had already given himself to darkness. Thanks to his newfound power, you were no match, and, well, he caught you. Immediately, you were taken to DiZ, who put you into a simulation of the place you were 'born', Twilight Town, until Sora was recovered… and, well that time is near, Roxas, and when it does come, DiZ is going to try and get you to rejoin with Sora just so he can be a more powerful 'tool' against the organization. In a sense, this town is just a trap. This will probably really hurt you, but… those friends of yours, like this town, are illusions meant to keep you occupied until Sora gets restored. Your whole life here isn't real… it's just a bunch of lies. I'm so sorry if I hurt you, but I had to tell you all this so you can have a chance to leave this place!"

Everything made sense now. Roxas was the nobody of Sora and a former member of Organization XIII. The white creatures were nobodies controlled by the Organization, or in this case, Axel. All that Axel wanted was to have his friend back. These dreams about Sora were side effects of the memory restoration process, and…this town was… an illusion. Hayner, Pence, and Olette meant nothing, in a sense. But, to Roxas they were his friends, and this town was the place he had called home. Learning that all that amounted to nothing was one of the most painful things he had ever heard.

Completely upset deep down inside, Roxas gave a sigh before responding to all the information Namine had shared with him. "Thanks, Namine… thank you for telling me the truth. I… I guess I'm just upset because everything here isn't real… and it never was. Even worse is that I've been a tool this whole time… just so DiZ can have his vengeance. I want out of this… is that possible?"

"It is possible to leave this place, Roxas, but you're going to have to rediscover your power over darkness that every nobody has. You have two days before Sora's memory will be restored, which doesn't leave you much time, but if you can get out of here and maybe pave your own path, DiZ might realize that not all nobodies are like his former apprentices. If you could pull that off, it would pay off for you both, trust me."

"But what about you, Namine? Will I ever see you again?"

"After today, I won't be able to help you. DiZ and Riku will probably keep me under their watch, but I promise that someday, when all this is over, we'll meet again," answered the golden haired teenager.

With that, there was a bright flash, and then Roxas found himself in the middle of the woods once again… the woods that were apparently an illusion. It was just too unbelievable that this whole world that seemed so real could be just a simulation. The ground, the trees, everything just felt…natural. For DiZ to create such a realistic world, he would have had to have been a mastermind.

After today's events, Roxas didn't really care about the struggle any more. It's not like he would gain anything from being champion, had he won. Namine's information, overall, just gave Roxas a negative feeling about nearly everything. He wanted out of this as soon as possible, even if it meant leaving behind his so called friends. Somehow, Roxas would have to find out how to tap into his powers, so he could make a dark portal, like the other nobodies could.

So, starting tomorrow, Roxas would try and relearn the abilities he once new before he had been captured him, but for now, he'd have to settle for the artificial life he had known.

"At least it was good while it lasted," sighed the poor teenager, as he made his way to the Usual Spot.

**_Twilight_****_ Town_****_Mansion_**

"Namine," growled the cloaked boy, or should I say, Riku, "I can't believe you told him EVERYTHING!"

After today's little incident with Roxas, Namine had been kept under lock and key. DiZ would not permit any more little visits, as the plans could have already been soiled by now. Everything just seemed to be going downhill thanks to the pesky girl and her need to help Roxas.

"Thanks to you, the plan…" Riku continued.

"Is all you care about that stupid plan these days, Riku?" interrupted the tricky nobody angrily. "You've let the darkness take over. What would Sora think if he saw you like this?"

Riku frowned from beneath the hood of his cloak. "Namine… I'm DOING this for Sora. He needs as much power as he can get if he's gonna take on the organization."

Such a statement didn't cheer up the girl, and she remained firm on her views.

"Ok, so Sora can take on Ansem, defeat countless heartless, and save the worlds, but he can't take on the organization on his own?" mocked the angered nobody.

"Alright, you win. But, still, Roxas is JUST a nobody. He shouldn't even exist."

"Well, in case you forgot, Riku," Namine growled, as if offended, "I'm a nobody too!"

SLAM! Right in Riku's face, the door to the white room had been slammed. The sound of sobbing could be heard from inside. Obviously, the 'just a nobody' bit had been enough to set off Namine, and now Riku regretted his stupid remark. Nobody or not, she was a girl, and Riku hated to see girls angered or crying… it just wasn't right to him, even if he was filled with darkness.

"DiZ, maybe she's right," sighed the close friend of Sora. "Roxas has the right to have his own say in this whole thing."

A simple maniacal laugh could be heard from DiZ. "A nobody doesn't have ANY right, child. They shouldn't even exist."

There was no sense arguing with DiZ, though Riku still had his own personal doubts. So, with a shrug, the cloaked teen slunk off into the pod room to watch over Sora. As he walked through the hall, he passed the pods containing Donald and Goofy, though they didn't really matter as much to him. Riku's mindset during this whole thing was just restoring Sora.

Inside the pod room, the only visible object was Sora's own pod. Nothing else appeared present here besides the pure white walls and floor. Silently, Riku made his way to the pod and looked into it. Sora was still in his deep slumber, unaware of his surroundings. He wouldn't notice his friend, and even if he did, the cloak kept Riku's identity in secrecy.

"Namine was right," Riku whispered, peering into the strange device. "I can't let you see me like this…"

End of Part 2

Day 4

Roxas awoke to the gleaming glow of the morning sun. During the previous day, after his little Namine visit, of course, the boy had been filled with a lugubrious feeling. Not only were his best friends simple illusions made by a madman called DiZ, but even worse is that he was being used as a tool in some sick and twisted scheme for revenge. It was as if, to Roxas, he was being punished for a crime he didn't commit. Things didn't end there, though. According to Namine, he would only have a meager two days to plot a way to escape this virtual prison and seek a newfound life and freedom. Some summer vacation this was turning out to be.

Now, as usual, Roxas had another dream about Sora, the "amazing" Keybarer. Not like that mattered anymore, though, since he already knew WHY he had the dreams. Nonetheless, it bothered Roxas that he had to be caught in the middle of all this. He longed for a simple life with his friends, but NOOO, he had to be an ex member of Organization XIII who was captured and wiped of all his memories and inserted into a fake Twilight Town. Instead of kicking back and enjoying summer vacation and all its thrills, Roxas got to face off with stupid white creatures… er, nobodies… and find that everything he thought he knew was a lie! All in all, this wasn't a pleasant experience.

All of those lingering thoughts sure didn't make a positive impression on Roxas, but, hey, that wasn't the big problem. As he got out of bed and slipped on his day clothes, he knew that he'd have to find out a way to control the darkness if he ever wanted to get away from this horrid, meddlesome nightmare. Because of this, the teenager had decided to spend the whole day out in the desolate woods by that cursed mansion where not a single soul would find him so he could try and re master his former abilities.

A few minutes flew by, though they seemed more like hours, and Roxas was now dressed and ready to waste away his time in the woods that didn't even exist, really. Still, it was the best place to train, due to the lack of people who would more than likely consider him insane for such obscure practices. Then again, it didn't really matter… but, right now, Roxas wanted to be alone. So, with a deep sigh, he slunk out the door and ambled towards his destination.

As he made his way towards the forest, Roxas could see that the station heights and tram were filled with all sorta of excitement. Young children dashed through the streets, while their parents made attempts to scold them. Business was booming at the shops, where people were picking up supplies needed for the upcoming school year. After all, tomorrow would be the last day of summer vacation. Then again, this world wasn't real, so who know how long time would last? Because of this thought, Roxas shrugged off any feelings he had about the lively town and just went about his business.

Minutes passed before Roxas reached that all-too-familiar hole in the tram wall. Beyond the brick wall would be the forest, where he'd begin his rehabilitation with the darkness. In his mind, the boy knew such a task wouldn't be simple, but it was what had to be done. After all, Sora's awakening would zoom right around the corner if he didn't hurry. So, quickly, Roxas crouched down and slunk into the woods, where he'd spend the whole day, if not longer, working on training procedures.

The first thing that had to be done was for Roxas to concentrate hard on his shattered memories of being a part of the Organization. Eyes closed, he focused his thoughts, hoping for a sign of anything that would help him escape. At first, there was nothing besides a few faded images, but the harder Roxas concentrated, the more vivid these images became. Soon, the memories showed themselves.

The first thing he saw when these memories arose was himself lying down in the middle of the back alley in Twilight Town with two mysterious men watching over him. Both conversed about how useful the keyblade's chosen one would be and all that jazz. Later, Roxas saw himself having a discussion with the head of the Organization, Xemnas, but that still didn't provide any help for an escape plan.

More and more memories flew by. These ranged from Roxas joining the Org from his first time meeting Axel. Even with these, no signs of dark powers were displayed… yet.

Deeper into the Axel memory, the duo could be seen making portals and walking through them. THIS was what would be needed to escape! Now, Roxas just needed to be able to call upon this power and flee from this simulated world for good.

As the solution for the escape plan had been revealed, Roxas opened his eyes and took a look around. No sunlight shone through the roofs of these tall trees, making the area a better location than others when it came to gathering darkness. Now the whole escape was just a matter of time and practice with dark energy. Such practices would more than likely focus around thoughts of anger, sorrow, and other things. It was just common sense. I mean, it's not like happiness and glee would be tools of darkness!

_Ok, _Roxas thought. _I just have to focus… Negative thoughts will fuel me, and hopefully I can get a little dark energy from this. Right… Now let's see, I'm ticked. My life has been a lie, my friends aren't real, I've been used as a tool, and it's all Sora's fault. I think that's a good start   
_

Indeed this was a great beginning for gathering the powers of darkness. With such angry thoughts, Roxas began concentrating hard, trying to pull a bit of darkness out of this place. His fuel was the repeating thoughts that plagued his mind ever since the day before. Over and over again these images played, while he tried very hard to draw upon the negative energy of the forest. As he performed this little ritual, a dark aura surrounded his very being. Quickly, Roxas called upon his keyblade and unleashed a devastating blow upon one of the trees, splitting it in half!

This small move was only the beginning of Roxas' training for his great escape, yet it was still a grand start! Now all he had to do was keep gathering more anger, sadness, pain, and fear, and soon, he'd be free!

**_ The Usual Spot _**

Hayner, Pence sat upon the cough in their favorite hangout, but something was amiss. Ever since yesterday, Roxas hadn't been his normal self. Upon his return from the visit with Namine, he was unusually quiet, and he didn't seem to care when Hayner told him how the Struggle had been cancelled due to an attack by the nobodies, or 'freaks in white jumpsuits', as they had been referred to by Seifer. When offered ice cream, Roxas shrugged and was very hesitant when eating. It was as if something had been bothering him… something serious.

Today, not a single sign of the blondey could be found. He hadn't even stopped by to say hello or anything. This left the trio filled with worry. It was just so unusual for Roxas to just vanish without a single notice.

"Do you think he's alright, Hayner?" Pence asked with a frown on his face. "He's usually never this late."

Hayner said nothing. He just closed his eyes and thought hard, something he usually never did. Truly, though he seemed to be the cocky type, Hayner DID have a more generous and caring side, though it usually never surfaced. Things were different right now, however, thanks to Roxas' quiet and upset mood from yesterday added to today's absence. Feelings he had usually never dealt with filled Hayner's mind: guilt, worry, even a bit of sadness. Over the past few days, he had treated his friend like dirt in a sense by not believing or even thinking about what was going on, constantly teasing him, and just being a total jerk in general. Now Hayner really regretted all of this.

As his eyelids lifted, Hayner let out a deep sigh. Then he finally spoke. "You know, I feel kinda bad now… I mean, the way I treated Roxas… it makes me feel guilty. Maybe we should have listened and tried to help him. I…I guess, I'm just worried too. Hopefully he's alright."

Olette tried to crack a smile, but deep down, she knew now was not the time. She took a deep breath and simply whispered, "He really hasn't been himself lately. Usually Roxas is more cheery and light hearted. I hate to see him in such a mess."

"Maybe we should look for him!" Pence suggested. "He couldn't have gone far, and maybe he can explain what's up…"

For once today, Hayner couldn't help but give a slight grin. "Yeah, well, he'd better tell us when I get my hands on him! C'mon, let's go!"

**_ The _****_Forest_**

Indeed the forest had proven a worthy place for Roxas' practices. Here in the shade of the trees, there would be no interruptions, and the shadows were a nice added bonus, as said before. Anyway, by now, a few trees had been damaged by this dark energy Roxas had been using. Many of these poor, though simulated, trees were now split into two pieces, but, hey, SOMETHING had to be punching bags for his practices. The only problem was that Roxas had only used offensive moves, which wouldn't get him out of this joint.

_Maybe I'm approaching this from the wrong direction… _pondered the blondey. _I should be trying to get OUT of here, darn it! Think, Roxas, think…   
_

When he had damaged the trees, Roxas had simply channeled the dark energy from his anger into his keyblade. Such a tactic was great for an offensive technique, though transportation would require something else. Well, it was doubtful that a weapon such as the keyblade would be of much help, so with a sigh, Roxas sent the over sized key away and sat down on the simulated grass for a quick breather.

"Man I'm exhausted," he muttered, the trees being his only company. "I really shouldn't rest long, though… after all, Sora could be nearly ready by now. I…I just need to focus… and maybe figure out how to make those darn portals…"

SWISH! A faint rustle in the trees could be heard from behind Roxas. Slightly fearful, he turned around and stared deeply into the rows of trees, but nothing appeared out of place. Everything simply appeared still from the short green grass to the trees, many of which had been damaged by Roxas in his little dark rage.

With a sigh of relief, Roxas turned around and rubbed the beads of sweat off his face. "I guess I'm imagining things…"

"I doubt it's even possible for a nobody to have an imagination," grunted a deep and mysterious voice.

All at once, a figure in blood red clothing stepped out from behind Roxas. This man was very unusual. On his face were bandages, wrapped around all of his features, preventing his identity from being revealed. He was quite tall, and in his single visible eye was a gleam of hatred and vengeance. Only one man could fit such a description, and that was the same person Namine had warned Roxas about: DiZ.

So, this was the fiend who was behind all of this. Why had he come? Could it be that he wanted to convince Roxas not to escape? If that were the case, then surely this man would be disappointed, as his being here would only add fuel to the fire, so to speak. From what Namine had said about DiZ, he was clouded by his hatred of his former apprentices, and because of this, he thought of all nobodies as being worthless. Well, Roxas had decided right at this very moment that he'd prove otherwise.

"YOU!" Roxas growled. "Why are you here? If it's to try and get me to fuse with Sora, then GO. AWAY. Namine told be all about you and how you're behind this lie that I thought was my life!"

DiZ was not even slightly intimidated. All he did was let out a simple cackle. "You should be grateful, nobody. You have been given the gift of existence, something you don't even deserve. It is useless to try and run. You'll fade back into the darkness either way."

"You're…" snarled the angered nobody, "you're kidding right! You just come and waltz by and say that I should just GIVE UP! Well, tough luck. I have a right to make my own decisions."

"Nobodies don't have any rights. You shouldn't even have the scanty existence that you've been given."

No matter what Roxas said, DiZ would simply go on about how he wasn't supposed to exist in the first place. This guy sure had an ego. The more he mouthed off, the more Roxas began to hate him. It was then that he realized that his offensive tactics HAD come and handy. If he could split a tree in half, imagine what would happen when this DiZ met the painful blow of the keyblade! What made this situation even better was that Roxas was already angry… so very angry. And now was the time he would release said anger.

THWOOSH! Roxas did unleash his power, but his blow did not his DiZ. In fact, the keyblade simply hit the cold air… and since there was no object for it to land against, Roxas ended up landing face down deep in the emerald colored grass. In reality, he was unsure if DiZ had even been there in the first place. The jerk had disappeared so suddenly that it was more than likely just an image created by Roxas' anger.

Here he lie on the grass, frustrated yet exhausted. That little burst of anger and dark energy may not have caused any damage, but it sure took a lot out of Roxas, who was already pretty tired. Panting, he decided to just stay still for a while and close his eyes. In his mind, images of his past mocked him. DiZ, the organization, Axel, Namine, and worst of all, Sora surrounded him, laughing nonstop. Their voices muffled Roxas' mind, shouting things like "Give up!" and "What a worthless tool…" Despite how much he tried to stay awake, however, all attempts failed, as the dog-tired nobody blacked out.

**_ Tram Common _**

By now it was nearly evening, and the glowing hot sun began to slink below the horizon. So far, Hayner and the gang had seen not one sign of their friend. Why, they were so desperate that the trio even asked Seifer's if they'd spotted the blondey. Unfortunately, not even those jerks had caught a single glance of him, though. Because of this strange disappearance, and the fact that night time was around the corner, Hayner, Pence, and Olette were even more frightened for their friend.

As they made their way through the Tram Common, the only people who could be seen were parents finishing up their summer shopping, some children darting and dashing, and the merchants who ran the shops. Nearly every inch of the town had been searched, and by now, it seemed that it was best to give up… or was it?

All at once, Hayner eyed that hole in the Tram wall. A thought came to mind. What if THAT was where Roxas was hiding? Nobody dared going into the forest because the Mansion on the other side was supposedly haunted. If there were a perfect hiding place in Twilight Town, anywhere beyond that wall was the place. Now things were piecing together. Nobody else had spotted Roxas because he was in the most desolate place around!

With this thought in mind, the arrogant, yet still worried, teen rushed on through the hole without even giving his friends a first notice. All that mattered right now was finding Roxas and finding out why on earth he had ran away like that.

"ROXAS!" Hayner yelled at the top of his lungs, still running.

No response came, but that didn't stop him from looking. The grass was town to shreds thanks to Hayner's stamina and speed, as he went deeper and deeper into the woods… that is, until he found just who he was looking for… lying on the ground, out cold.

At that exact moment, Hayner's eyes widened so much that one could wear they'd break through his eye sockets. Here was his best friend, out like a light, lying in the grass of a forest that NOBODY bothered to visit. Even worse was that he didn't look like he was in very good condition. Now worry filled Hayner's very being, as he found himself running over to the unconscious teen and lifting him up.

"Hang in there, Roxas," he whispered, "I'll get ya outta here…"

So now, with Roxas atop his shoulder, Hayner trekked back to the tram and made his way back to the Usual Spot.

**_ Somewhere _**

Roxas found himself in a dark abyss, alone, scared. Only the maniacal sounds of laughter could be heard, never stopping. He looked all around him, only to find nothing. The place was an endless abyss, and even worse was that he was all by himself. Yes, he did try to run, but it seemed as if the place continued on forever and ever, the mocking cackles continuing. All at once, a voice could be heard, taunting him.

_Run, run, run away, Roxas. It won't do you any good. We'll find you   
_

He stopped, trying to locate whoever this voice belonged to. However, this was unsuccessful, as everything was still dark and empty. Yet, even in the midst of this nothingness, the shrill sounds of laughter would not fade… they just continued to haunt Roxas. Then, again, more voices could be heard.

_You shouldn't have betrayed your best friend, Roxas. Got it memorized?   
_

Flames, flames of anger surrounded Roxas, engulfing him. A burning sensation ran up his spine. It hurt… it hurt to the point of near insanity. What was happening to him? Did the world hate his very being? As the flames torched his young body, a blurry figure could be seen approaching him. That brown, spiky hair… those cold blue eyes, the balloon pants, and… THAT KEY! It was… him… Sora. This was just like his vision from earlier, only… it felt so real.

A sinister, toothy grin spread across Sora's face as he made his way towards Roxas. Each step he took, the more intense the heat of the fire became. Soon, Sora was just inches away, and that was when he lifted his keyblade, and uttered a taunting phrase.

"You're just a nobody… you were never supposed to exist. Now you never will again."

With that, the keyblade hit Roxas hard, and then –

Roxas awoke, gasping for his life. Where was he, and what happened to Sora? Could all of that been a dream? Well, he was alive, so it had to be. Still, the feeling of the flames, and that glare in Sora's eyes… it was all so vivid. Yet… deep down inside, Roxas knew it was just his imagination.

His eyes examined the area, and a conclusion was drawn: he was back at the usual spot. Now, this wasn't necessarily good, since that meant that Hayner had found him, but hey, it sure beat being knocked out in the middle of a forest. But then realization hit. It was late, probably near midnight by now, and Roxas would be making his escape soon, or trying to. This meant that he'd be leaving his friends behind for good. Even if they were simulations, they were the only people he had, spare Axel, who hadn't shown his face since the day before. Though artificial, they could think and feel, and surely they would worry about Roxas after he left. Such thoughts caused him to pull ut a piece of paper and a pen, and then… he wrote a note.

_"Hayner, Pence, Olette, I'm so incredibly sorry to say this, but I can no longer stay here in _ _Twilight__Town__. You see, the last few days have been insane, but now know the reasons, and as much as it pains me to say this, I must go. When I vanished on the day of the struggle, and on the day of the beach, it was because I went to see this girl named Namine who explained everything to me, and the truth really hurt. I'm sure you won't understand this, but, this place is a simulation and a copy of the real _ _Twilight__Town__. So, if it's fake, why am I writing this note? Well, you three have been my friends through all this, and I just have to thank you for everything. Please don't worry about me now, as I'll be fine. _

_ Goodbye, my friends. _

_ Roxas   
_

So the final letter had been written. Hopefully Roxas' friends would go on just fine, even if they weren't real. Deep inside Roxas, he really longed for the dream of this world being real and of himself having nothing to do with Sora. All he wanted was a carefree life with his friends, but such a thing just wasn't going to happen. Tomorrow, he would leave behind his life here in Twilight Town in search for a better purpose, and maybe, just maybe, he'd find a place where he could fit in.

As minutes passed, Roxas took one final look at the Usual Spot, and he walked off to get his last night's sleep in this virtual prison.

End Day 4

Day Five

In the basement of the mansion, DiZ sat in front of the computer screen, observing Sora's progress. All was silent; spare the clicking and beeping of the machinery. At the moment, the bandaged man was quite frustrated. Today Roxas was supposed to return to Sora, but now he realized that this just wouldn't happen… but that didn't mean that he'd just give up on his plans. Something had to be done..

With a yawn, DiZ called out, saying, "Riku! I need to have a word with you!"

Almost instantly, the cloaked teen emerged from the pod room, trekking towards the hate-filled man in red. He didn't seem very excited to be called upon by DiZ, but nonetheless, he had to help out… for Sora's sake.

"What is it?" Riku groaned.

DiZ quickly turned to face the young man. "I have not given up, Riku. I want you to bring Roxas here. He must return to Sora at all costs!"

"And what if I don't want anything else to do with your plans?" scoffed the arrogant teenager in response. "Namine really knocked some sense into me the other day… I've let myself become a pawn not only to you, but to the darkness in my heart. If you want Roxas so badly, get him yourself!"

That was all Riku had to say. Immediately after making his little statement, he stomped up the stairs. He really had been through enough with this whole Roxas incident, and it wasn't very pleasant. In fact, he had become so filled with darkness ONLY to help Sora. Thank goodness he would be awakening today, but, as happy as Riku was, he had to leave. If he saw what was underneath the cloak… well, it just wasn't a pleasant thing to think about.

**_ Tram Common _**

The afternoon sun shone brightly on the paved ground in the Tram common. Things were quiet today, as many people were down at the beach because of the celebration of the last day of summer. As Roxas made his way towards the forest once again, he once again longed for a normal life, but it was best not to dwell on things such as simple wishes. Besides, there was something far more important. Today was the day that he had to make his escape.

Really, Roxas had no idea why he was heading towards the mansion. Sora was bound to be there, and if he wasn't careful, he could end up being fused anyway. Even though there was that chance, however, he just felt a need to enter the mansion. Maybe it was because DiZ was there, and he wanted to face him… or perhaps he was just going for the heck of it. Either way, the haunted mansion was his destination.

Roxas entered the forest, where he noticed the damage that he had done yesterday. Those trees may have been digital, but they were still split, cut up, and all around a gruesome sight to behold. Quickly, he turned his attention away from the trees and continued to trudge through the jade colored grass. Over and over again, one thought filled Roxas' mind, and that was escape.

When Roxas finally reached the mansion, he found that the gate had been sealed again. Thank goodness he was a keyblade master, though, or getting inside would have actually been tough. Just as he did during his last visit here, the teen called forth his keyblade and unlocked the gates. Now all he had to do was step inside and see what fate was in store for him. Breathing deeply, Roxas slowly walked towards the door to the mansion, turned the knob, and entered the building. Little did he know, he was being followed. Inside the mansion, that oh-so-familiar boy in black could be seen walking through a dark portal. Apparently Riku didn't want to stay here any longer.

_Man, _Roxas thought, _even that guy can make portals… I just hope that I can get out of here before it's too late   
_

A strange light could be seen gleaming through one of the doors on the upper floor. This door was just across the one leading to Namine's room. Something wasn't right about that glow… More than likely, the doors lead to where Sora was being kept. Sora… that name still gave Roxas chills ever since he found out about his past. He wasn't planning on going anywhere near that place, really, but not all things go according to plan.

A strange sound emerged from the ground. Whatever it was, it sorta sounded familiar. Could it be… nobodies? Well, there was only one way to find out, so Roxas turned around only to find that his suspicion was true, and right before him was a small group of dusks, and a new type of nobody that was far larger and had strange spikes on its limbs.

It looked like trouble had just come around the corner. All Roxas wanted was to leave Twilight Town, but now he found himself closer to Sora than he had wanted to be with about ten nobodies ready to attack. Things were about to get pretty violent, as he summoned the keyblade, but there was a difference now: Roxas knew how to use the darkness for offensive techniques. All he had to do was focus on his anger.

The dusks at the front of the nobody group jumped right at Roxas, aiming to hit him with their stretchy limbs. They failed, though, as a reversal technique was used against them, and they met the end of the keyblade oh so suddenly. Although knocked back by this blow, the dusks unleashed another attack, hitting Roxas, but then being tossed back by a countering blow. SPLAT! Well, that took care of the first rank of the little buggers, but right as they were destroyed, the next row lunged forward.

Now was the time for Roxas to put his dark powers to the test. Closing his eyes, he focused on all his pain, his envy of Sora and his hatred of DiZ. The aura of darkness surrounded his being, and the stage was set. It really was a shame that the dusks were caught so off guard, as the keyblade, combined with the dark energy, led to their demise. Now only four nobodies remained… but, they were the huge assassin ones.

Swiftly, Roxas charged at these strange nobodies, but they sunk into the ground. He tried his best to nail them on the heads, but all attempts for physical blows missed. For an evasive method, the assassins were slinking in circles around Roxas, while keeping themselves stuck in the ground. When they got close enough, the nobodies would lash out at his legs, knocking him off his feet. Their claws were incredibly painful, and when the lashes were made, a stinging sensation ran up to his knees, and Roxas could barely move.

By now, the assassins had emerged from their hiding place in the floor, and they prepared to give out another lashing. The pain from the previous lashing kept Roxas pinned to the ground but he wasn't about to allow himself to experience the stinging pain a second time. With the keyblade in his hand, he attempted to role towards the nobodies and attack them from underneath with another dark blow.

SHINK! The metallic key-shaped weapon cut right through one of the assassins and hit another in the head. This aggravated the other nobodies, and they quickly hovered right before Roxas… and they were glowing, as if they were about to explode! All signs of a stinging sensation were gone by now, luckily, which meant that he could get back to his feet, but the blondey had only moved a few feet away when both assassins committed a suicidal attack, sending him flying towards the wall!

SLAM! Roxas hit the wall hard. Sharp pains ran down his spine and down to his legs. The assassins were gone now, thank goodness, but that didn't stop the intense stings that the pressure of the wall had caused. Well, at least without any other nobodies in the room, it couldn't get any worse… for now.

Before he got up, Roxas decided to take a moment to sit still, since his back hurt like crazy. Who would have guessed that something that happened so quickly would be so painful? Anyway, once he got back to his feet, our blonde haired buddy turned his head over to the strange glowing room. DiZ had to be in there, and that meant that Roxas could show him what he was made of.

Though slowly, Roxas entered the mysterious room. Inside there was strangely enough a butt load of books, worn down suits of armor, and a strange staircase heading downward. There was a haunting mood in this place, as cobwebs covered the shelves, and the worn down armor was coated in rust and mold. It was revealed that this strange staircase lead to the bright blue glow that could be seen from outside. DiZ must have been at the bottom.

When Roxas reached the bottom of the stairs, he found himself in a place that looked far more futuristic than the rest of the mansion. Bizarre machinery could be found on every wall, giving out a bright blue glow. Before him stood a strange door, which lead to who-knows-where. The whole mood that this basement gave wasn't pretty, especially the strange door, but now was not a time to stall. Somewhere in this basement was DiZ, and all Roxas wanted to do right now was thrash that creep. So, though with some hesitation, he ambled through the doorway.

**Roxas POV   
**

I felt kind of tense when I entered this place. Everything was so dark that I could barely see, but I HAD to find DiZ. What he did… the way he used me was just unforgivable. Because of him, I had to live through this lie. Not only that, but the things he said yesterday about me being worthless and not having a right to exist really hurt. Man, this creep would regret what he did.

Something about this strange room made me uneasy. On the far left was a computer with several monitors showing pictures and text all involving Sora. To the right was another weird door that was illuminated by a white gleam. The rest of this place was just filled with more machinery. One thing was missing, though, and that was DiZ… the man I hated above everything else.

I WAS about to head towards the next room, knowing that, more than likely, DiZ would be there… and Sora. Note the emphasis on 'was'. The thing is, as I made my way towards the door, I was interrupted by a very familiar voice.

"So I heard that you've been trying to escape," snickered a voice that could only belong to Axel. "Guess that witch Namine told you everything too."

I turned around to face my friend and sighed. "Yeah, I want to get out of here… but not until I take care of DiZ. He wiped my memories, implanted me into this simulation… and… what's worse is that I believed those lies. Axel… I just want to be…free."

There was something about Axel that wasn't quite right. He seemed… angry. His eyes were narrow, and in his hands were his chakrams. Something told me that Axel wasn't planning on a friendly conversation. But, didn't he realize that I remembered him? Then again, if I was forgotten by my best friend, I suppose I wouldn't be very sympathetic until they asked for forgiveness. Funny how things work, eh?

Axel spat at the floor and lifted up his arms, as if ready to attack. "You remember me, eh, Roxas? BUDDY! Well, you obviously are clueless about how you LEFT! Got it memorized?"

That last statement really confused me. I never remembered ever leaving him. What kind of friend would walk off like that, anyway? Besides, wasn't I captured by Riku? At least, that's what Namine said. Heck, I even REMEMBERED that… but nothing came to mind about me leaving Axel.

Puzzled, I replied by saying, "What are you talking about? I never left you… Riku captured me. Best friends don't just leave. Where would you get such an idea?"

Oddly enough, he broke into laughter at my questions. I didn't get it. How was I being funny? Everything I said was dead serious. All I wanted was to be friends with him again…

"You're totally clueless, aren't ya?" Axel groaned. "I guess you didn't get the full story… or maybe you're just too stubborn to apologize! Well, if that's the case, I'll have to MAKE you admit that you were an arse!"

Ok, so he was ticked. Even worse was that I'm sure he would 'MAKE' me apologize by trying to fight me again. Great… just another way to stall for time. I just wish that he wouldn't be so aggressive and explain, because maybe then I'd understand. Unfortunately, I doubt that would happen any time soon. But… I just wanted to understand. When did I leave? In my mind, I continued to ask myself this, until it hit me right in the face.

**End Roxas POV   
**

_Flashback   
_

In the middle of a dark city, the rain was pouring down like rapid fire in the middle of a war. This place had no sunlight, and the only light came from the buildings, and a moon that seemed to have a shape similar to a heart. This particular world was the place where Organization XIII dwelled. As for the name, it was called The World that Never Was.

Over by one of the skyscrapers, Roxas and Axel could be seen conversing. Whatever they were talking about wasn't a very light or pleasant matter, as Axel appeared to be upset. Roxas, on the other hand, had a determined look on his face, and in his hands were two keyblades.

"Your mind's made up?" Axel asked in an upset tone. "I guess that means I'm going to be on my own again."

"I have to," Roxas replied, unphased by his friend's sadness. "Why did the keyblade choose me? I have to know."

_End Flashback  
_

**Roxas POV   
**

I couldn't believe it. It was just too hard. Axel was right when he blamed me for leaving him. As hard as it was to take all this in, it was the truth. Now I understood why he was so hurt. When I was standing out there, I didn't even say I was sorry, nor did I ask if he wanted to come. I was, as he said, an arse.

"Hmm," he scoffed, "too ashamed to admit the TRUTH! Heh, it figures as much. You were always stubborn… and that was a mistake…"

Chakrams at his side, Axel jumped at me, unleashing that all-too-familiar flurry of flames. And as usual, he caught me off guard. Yay… Why was I always so unprepared. Well, anyway, the burning sensation was just like in my dream. It ran right up my spine, and I literally felt like I was being chucked into a volcano. Actually, I half expected to see Sora suddenly appear and put an end to me with his keyblade because, well, everything else seemed to be occurring like in the dream. Everyone seemed to hate me, was disappointed, or wanted to use me like a tool.

As I was being enveloped by the flames, reality slapped my right in the face. My mind forgot all about the dream and went back to this current situation. Axel seemed to be waiting for me to make my move, since he just stood there waving his arms slightly. Heh, I suppose that was pretty predictable, since he'd never destroy his best friend, no matter how angry he was. Good old Axel, always there for me… even if it meant a little pain.

So Axel was refusing to attack just because he still cared about me. Very well, but that didn't mean I was gonna let myself get practically cooked. I mean, this was terribly painful, and with my 'buddy' just standing there, this would be the perfect opportunity to strike back. Quickly, I grabbed my keyblade, despite the flames wrapped around me, and I jumped right at my adversary. Too bad he had predicted this move and blocked me with his chakrams. Immediately after that little maneuver, he pushed me back with his two weapons, and I… well, I lost my grip on the keyblade.

Man, Axel was slick! The whole disarming move really was unexpected. Even worse is that when I tried to reach the keyblade, he blocked it off by surrounding the two of us with flames. The fiery barrier would definitely keep me in range for any offensive assaults from the red haired pyromaniac, and it seemed as if defeat were crawling around the corner.

"Well," Axel whispered in a sinister tone, "isn't this a little bit surprising? The keyblade's chosen one without his trusty little weapon to protect him, but, you know what? I'm going to give you a fair chance to fight back. Got it memorized? I'll just stand here, and you throw your best moves at me. We'll see if you're really as skilled as you used to be."

Again, I wasn't surprised. Deep down, Axel wouldn't do anything to REALLY hurt me. It just wasn't his way. If only I could convince him to stop fighting, THEN things would be even better. But, at the moment, I needed to figure out what I was gonna do. Here I sat, disarmed, surrounded by flames, and with no method for fighting back. What was I to do? I sighed and tried my best to concentrate. Maybe I could summon the keyblade again, since I was the 'chosen one'. My eyes closed, and I tried to call the keyblade back. Nothing happened. Frustrated, I tried even harder to summon my weapon, but, I think something was blocking that. Maybe the darkness was clouding my mind. All I had been thinking about since I entered this room was giving DiZ payback, but… that would only make me like him.

DiZ was apparently angered because six of his apprentices had betrayed him and let the darkness swallow their hearts. Because of that, they had become heartless, which caused their nobodies to form. Namine said something about them being the six highest-ranking members of the Organization. That made sense then, since DiZ wanted to have a sweet little revenge. The problem, I think, is that if I tried to have my own vengeance on him, I'd be sinking just as low… and, maybe all this vengeful thinking was blocking my connection with the keyblade.

All at once, during this whole concentration, a little thought formed in my mind. The darkness was incredibly powerful, but in the dreams about Sora, he said that there's always that powerful light in a heart that never fades. Light… darkness… focusing my thoughts on the negative energy had caused me to quit thinking straight because I was being aggressive. I had to balance my light and darkness.

Axel seemed pretty bored by now. He was tapping his foot impatiently, while, to him, I probably looked like I had major gas pains.

"You're sure taking your sweet time," muttered the spiky red head under his breath. "Hurry up! Got it memorized?"

Little did my impatient friend know, I was coming up with a new strategy with this whole 'balance' thing. My thoughts would not only be filled with my anger, pain, and all that, but also the good things I had until I found out the truth. Things were pretty good for me until two days ago. It was just Hayner, Pence, Olette, and, of course, me, hanging out and maybe having a few dilemmas with Seifer. So it wasn't real, and I accepted that now, but it's the closest thing I've ever had to 'light'. As I kept my thoughts pretty much balanced, I felt something strange. Some new power was coursing through my veins, well, if nobodies even have veins, and all at once, a glow surrounded both of my hands.

Seconds later, I was given quite the shocker, so to speak. By keeping myself in a balanced state, I definitely got back the keyblade… but, it was not alone, and it appeared to have a new decal. That's right, now I had TWO keyblades! One of them was white and very angelic looking, with a keychain that looked like, I think, Kairi's lucky charm. In the flames surrounding Axel and me, this weapon shone with a powerful aura, and, something in my mind told me it was called "Oathkeeper". The other keyblade was way different than Oathkeeper. Instead of being bright and angelic, the blade was pure black with a bit of grey for the decorations. From the looks of this thing, it seemed more evil and dark. Yet again, I just had some weird feeling that this second blade had a special name, "Oblivion".

Axel was now facing the opposite direction and pacing slightly. I could easily tell that he'd become tired of waiting, but, being who he is, would still give me a fair chance. Well, now that I had two keyblades, I don't know if it was exactly 'fair', but hey, it's not like he'd notice until they made contact with his FACE! Yes, it sounded harsh, but he's the one who set me on fire, so a little smack on the face was practically nothing.

Quickly and quietly, I jumped right towards Axel from behind. He must've had good hearing, because he turned right towards me almost immediately. By the time he noticed me, I was up in the air with both keyblades ready to make contact with him. Obviously, he was pretty shocked, since moments ago I didn't even have ONE weapon to fight with, yet, now I had two. As my blades came closer to their target, Axel tried to deflect them with his chakrams. I guess he was trying to disarm me again. Well, unfortunately for him, this time I had TWO little keyblades to match the strength of his dual chakrams. There was no way I'd let him pull another reckless stunt.

Both of us assaulted one another head on with our dual weapons. Whenever I tried to hit Axel with my keyblades, he'd deliver an equal blow with his circular tools of spiky doom. I guess we were both equally matched as far as strength and skill went. Anyway, for about the eighth time in a row, I tried to land a heavy blow on Axel, but this time, instead of blocking, he merely jumped behind the flames surrounding us.

I scanned the area, just to make sure Axel wouldn't pull any fast ones, but so far, I was having no luck. That spiky haired weirdo had just vanished into the inferno, so it seemed. Something wasn't right about this, though. I could just sense that Axel was trying to confuse me. Then, all at once, I heard something from behind. Quickly, I spun around, but I was too late. Axel had jumped out from the flames and got me with a wave of flames, and once again, I felt that all-too-familiar burning sensation…. But that wasn't going to stop me now!

Though my skin burned like a thousand suns, I couldn't let Axel win. There was just some voice inside my mind telling me that I HAD to make it through this. That small bit of encouragement along with everything else that had fueled my ambitions in the past just seemed to all come together at that very moment when I dove at Axel with full force and shoved my two keyblades right at his chest… and, to my surprise, my two oversized keys weren't met by the force of the two chakrams this time.

Almost instantly, the burning blazes that had just filled the room moments ago died down. The whole room fell silent. Axel was on his knees, grabbing onto his chest in pain. In my hands remained Oblivion and Oathkeeper, but I didn't need them right now. There was no need to harm Axel any more than this. Even after this little quarrel, I still desperately wanted to be his friend.

Those two gleaming green eyes stared up at me with a look of surprise. On Axel's face was that trademark smirk of his. I actually think he was trying to laugh at this whole thing, but the pain in his chest enabled him only to cough. Still, at that moment, I wondered if he still was angered. I wanted to apologize to him, I really did, and in truth, I had the words arranged in my mind, but something was…interrupting me.

**End Roxas POV   
**

_Flashbac   
_

Rain continued to ascend from the skies above as Roxas prepared to embark on a new road to find the truth about his past. He felt no sympathy for poor old Axel, who was crushed by the fact that his only friend would just leave without a second thought. The lingering mysteries of his past were the only things of importance to the blonde haired nobody at the moment.

Many strange feelings sped through Axel's mind. What was he to do? If Roxas left, he could easily be marked as traitor. That wasn't even close to being good, either, since traitors were usually dealt with in the most unpleasant ways. If anything like that happened to Roxas, surely the poor fire-loving Axel would never forgive himself. He had to convince his best friend to stay…

"You can't turn on the Organization!" shouted the slick, red head all of the sudden. "You get on their bad side and they'll destroy you!"

Unfortunately, Roxas was unphased by his friend's loud remark. A simple shrug and a snappy comment were the replies to a warning that really was given by someone who cared.

"No one would miss me," responded the Organization's 13th member with no sound of pity in his voice.

Following that short comment, Roxas started to walk off again, and it seemed that nothing would stop the boy by now. Seeing this, Axel tried one final time to change his friend's mind.

"That's not true!" he shouted, as the last bit of Roxas' figure could be seen slinking around the corner. "I would…"

_End Flashback   
_

**Roxas POV…again   
**

To tell you the truth, I was shocked at myself. Was I really that careless? It was just too much. Now I truly saw why Axel was angered. A few days ago, I had no memory of him, yes, but the fact that even though most of my memories had been restored BESIDES the fact that I was so snide must have hurt too. Sure, he seemed aggressive, but I really could see that all Axel wanted was an apology, and, of course, his old friend back.

A frown grew upon my face. Not only was I an arse, but, I seemed to lack any sign of emotion back when I left. Was that really how I had been before all of this? I guess… well, I guess that I really did deserve the punishment I had been through. Right now, though, I had to tell Axel how I felt. With Hayner, Pence, and Olette being fake, he was the only one I could turn to now.

"Axel," I whispered, looking my friend straight in the eyes, "I'm…I'm so sorry…"

It seemed that my apology had caught HIM off guard for once, as words seemed unable to materialize in his mouth. Slowly, Axel stood up, albeit a little off balance. He continued to wear the expression of shock on his visage, but… he seemed to be materializing one of those dark portals again.

"Well, Roxas," he finally said, "you're quite the emotional sap now, aren't ya? Well..."

Heh, it figured that Axel would say something snappy like that, but what he said next was very powerful in my eyes. Sure, it was only three simple words, plus an extra one thrown in, but, the meaning was strong…

"I forgive ya, kid."

Things were cut pretty short, after our little 'moment'. I guess Axel wanted to get the heck out of here, since he was starting to walk…well, limp, actually, towards that portal of his. Maybe it's because he didn't want to be caught dawdling by the rest of the Organization. BUT, before he DID leave, though, he said one last thing, and… it was VERY odd.

"If we advance forth, can we ever meet again? The future goes on to everywhere."

With that said my friend entered his portal and vanished. I was, yet again, alone. For a moment, I took everything in. Hayner, Pence, and Olette weren't real, which left me friendless, besides Axel, who would probably be in serious trouble with Organization XIII. Namine was, well, somewhere… but she apparently promised that we'd meet again. Why couldn't she be here NOW? There was still so much I needed to know, but deep down, I knew there wasn't much time. Sora would be awakening very shortly, which meant that I didn't have very long before I had to leave.

My eyes averted from where Axel had just stood moments ago. By now, something else was on my mind… finding DiZ and then escaping this fake world. Only earlier had I wanted to get my revenge on the creep in red, but at now, I had realized that I wouldn't stoop to his level. Nevertheless, I had to find that man. I had to ask WHY he had to use me as a tool for his own twisted scheme. Namine mentioned it a little, but I wanted the answers straight from the horse's mouth. And so I pressed onward.

At the far end of the room stood a strange metal door… more than likely where DiZ was hiding. Now was the time to finally face the fiend behind all these lies. There was no turning back. I would NOT be 'just a nobody'. To tell you the truth, though, I was a bit hesitant at first, but after a few deep breaths, I made my way towards the door.

Inside was a strange hall with pods lined up across one of the walls. The floor here was metal, and everything here seemed to be made up of pretty advanced technology. Out of curiosity, I took a look at the pods, and I was shocked at what I saw. In the first pod was Donald. He still wore that strange hat with the zippers and his matching blue clothes, just as he had in my dreams. The pod next to him was Goofy, still complete with the orange hat and goggles, green sweater, black vest, and, lastly, those yellow pants of his. But, if Donald and Goofy were in this hall, that meant that Sora would be near by…

DiZ probably had this planned from the beginning. He knew that I'd come after him. If he could just get me close enough to Sora, he wouldn't have to worry about his plans being ruined. Sure, he'd get Sora with 'full strength', so he could thwart the Organization. It's too bad I wouldn't be falling for that little trick of his. Sure, I'd go on to the next room, where DiZ was doubtlessly waiting, but if he tried to pull any fast ones, I'd just leave… well, run is more like it. The problem is that I STILL couldn't figure out how to call upon the darkness to open a portal.

I had spent a few more minutes walking before I finally reached another metal door. Now was the time for everything to unfold. DiZ would be waiting inside, and I HAD to face him before I could leave. Time seemed to slow as I reached for the door. Maybe it was because this next moment would seal my fate. With a slight hint of fear, though, I decided to take the first step into the pod room.

The moment I entered the room, I was greeted by none other than DiZ himself.

"You have arrived, nobody," he had cackled, a sinister look glittering in his single visible eye. "Are you ready to return to where you belong?"

Oh how predictable. I figured that DiZ would say something along those lines, since he hated nobodies and all. Here he stood judging me for a crime I didn't even commit… well, that was only half the truth. I WAS a part of the Organization, but only because I didn't remember anything about my past, and even then, I was not responsible for whatever his apprentices had done to him. Speaking of which, the first thing I said to him was asking about that very topic.

My eyes were narrow, as I stood staring at the man I hated more than anyone else. I was quick to question his motives. "DiZ, I had originally come here to get revenge before I escaped, but I know now that doing so isn't right. Still, I have to ask… who are you, and what did your apprentices do to you that would cause you to despise all nobodies? Just answer that question. Nothing else matters."

The first reply to my question was that of even more maniacal laughter. Oh how I HATED that laugh. Had that man lost his sanity? Or was he just too self-centered and snide to care about anyone rather than himself? I just didn't get it. What made nobodies so 'unworthy of existence', or whatever? Apparently, DiZ could care less about what I understood, and what I did not…

"You are not worth dealing with," mocked that appalling excuse for a man. "You nobodies are all the same. Beings who lack hearts and emotions. You don't matter. Your existence is of no importance. All of you are the same, and you'll all meet the same fate. Why I am after revenge is not anything that should matter to you."

So, he said nobodies lacked feelings. Well, if that were true, why did I FEEL such a burning hatred? If nobodies were beings who had no cares or anything, how come I REFUSED to become just another part of Sora! And, for that matter… why did it hurt so much to find that everything I knew was a lie made by a cruel man clouded by vengeance? It just…made no sense.

"You say we lack hearts," I growled, "but… I know that my feelings are real! I… hate you… I want to do SOMETHING to make you regret what you've done… but, you know what, DiZ? I'm not like you. Just because my whole life has been torn apart doesn't mean I'll actually stoop to your level. All I want is freedom, and a chance to be… more than a nobody. For someone who claims that nobodies lack hearts, you don't seem to have one either if you torment someone who didn't have anything to do with… whatever happened to you that caused your hate."

"Hmph. You joined the organization, and that is a sin on its own. But, why should I be wasting time with you? I am a servant of the world, so I have better things to do than mingle with some incomplete tool," DiZ replied snidely. "Besides, it's high time you returned to Sora."

By now, I was just about ready to jump at DiZ and hit him with my keyblade, even if it wasn't the right thing to do. It was just that no matter what I said to that object of my hatred, he would pretty much same the same thing over and over again. How sickening… Right at that moment, really, I just wanted all my pain, fears, lies, and everything else to just melt away. My eyes were shut tightly, and the keyblade was in my hand once again, and within an instant, I found myself rushing in DiZ's direction. It's too bad that he had already pulled one of his little vanishing tricks, and my keyblade ended up hitting the pod.

I knew that I was running out of time now. An eerie sound was coming from within the pod. DiZ must have activated Sora's pod because now smoke was emerging from between the gaps of the machinery. This wasn't good… this definitely wasn't good. Any moment now, Sora would be able to step out of the pod, and if he saw me… he'd surely want his power back. In fact, the whole pod was nearly opened up, and I could just faintly see that spiky brown hair through the steam. Every passing second seemed like hours right now, and little did I realize, I found myself backing up.

When the pod was nearly open completely, I gave the machine and Sora an angered glare. The way Namine had described things at the time had made me think of Sora in a negative way, so I couldn't help myself.

"This is your fault!" I yelled towards Sora, even though he couldn't hear me. "If it weren't for you and that stupid castle, I wouldn't have been fed all these lies! I'd still be with my only real friend! Because of you, Sora… I'm… alone."

Ok, so if it wasn't for Sora, I wouldn't even exist, but back then, I really didn't think about that. Maybe it was because I was selfish… It wasn't Sora's fault that he lost his memories of his friends, his life, Kairi, and everything else. That was the cause of the Organization using Namine to their advantage, so she had told me. But, I guess, back there in the pod room, I was… confused.

Anyway, I was standing right next to the door. It had been about two minutes since I yelled at Sora, and by now, the pod had opened. Any second now, I knew Donald and Goofy would end up looking for him… and all heck would break loose after that. Time was out. If I stayed here, Sora would easily just gain the other half of his power back. Even if I hadn't been able to find power over the darkness, I had to leave. And so, I ran. All thoughts of Hayner, Pence, Olette, DiZ, Namine, and everything else would have to be put behind me. Leaving this fake world was the only thing that mattered now.

I made my way back towards the entrance of the mansion, paying no attention to my surroundings. If there had been any nobodies in the area, I really wouldn't have known, since the first thing I had done was dart towards the door.

Actually, I managed to make it outside just fine. Nothing had attacked me inside the mansion. Still, there was a long way to go, or so I thought. All I had to do was keep on running. However, the funny thing is, I had no idea where I was going, and as I ran, I just kept on thinking of the dark portals and wondered why I couldn't use them. The irony of it all is that, while making my way through the woods, I had actually generated a portal and fell right in.

End of Prologue…finally.

------------------------------------------------------------------

**AN: **Well, I hope you liked my prologue. XD If you managed to read the whole thing in one sitting, that is. Anyway, as you see, the only dialogue that was barely changed from the actual game was in flashbacks scenes, and even then, I added a few things. And, btw the last quote Axel says before he leaves is from Passion... just translated. If you thought it was bloody similar, don't give up reading, though, cuz, as I said, it only STARTS similar, since events in the past are pretty much the same… cept with how the darkness affected Riku. -shot- Oh, and while you're here, feel free to submit a review! Just, again, NO FLAMES. Or I'll have to take aggressive matters!


	2. A new Journey

Hello again. :D Chapter one came fast, ya? Well, that's cuz it was already written beforehand, as is Chapter 2. Anywhoozle, in this Chappy we get to see Sora! YAY SORA! -hears fangirls squeal in the distance- And with Sora, of course, comes a bunch of confusion, like, why was he in a pod, and where the heck is he, and stuff. Typical and predictable, eh? Well, the ending to this chappy is quite the cliffy. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I owned the KH series, this fanfic would be a game. :O

Chapter 1: A New Journey

_Sora. It's time to wake up. You've got a long journey ahead of you._

A warm feeling brushed up against the face of a fifteen year old boy named Sora. For the first time in about a year, his ocean blue eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the light of the mysterious room he stood in. The first thing Sora laid his eyes upon wasn't entirely surprising. Two familiar faces were staring into his eyes, one being a white duck with a blue getup, and the other a large dog. This duo was none other than Donald Duck and Goofy, who Sora had been traveling with for quite some time.

Slowly, Sora reached up and rubbed his eyes and, of course, gave a little yawn, all before paying attention to his two pals. However, after waking up a bit more, his first action was that of a huge, monstrous glomp/hug.

"Donald, Goofy!" Sora shouted in glee, his voice having a deeper tone than it had a year ago. "I guess I can always count on you to be by my side… even when I'm sleeping. But, wait… when DID we end up here… and how long has it been?"

Both Donald and Goofy exchanged puzzled glances at one another. When they woke up, the two cartoony animals didn't really bother thinking about anything besides finding Sora, but now that he had mentioned it… they too were confused.

"Gawrsh, Sora," giggled Goofy, rubbing his nose with an index finger, "weren't we lookin' for Riku and the King?"

"You're right," replied the spiky haired hero with a smirk that quickly transformed into an upset frown. "We have to find them… I just can't go back home without Riku. I just hope Kairi hasn't forgotten me…"

WHACK! Unlike Goofy, Donald had given Sora a, well… slightly more aggressive reply by hitting him on the head with his Mage staff. The short tempered duck was then quick to give Sora a stern look, all while waving around one of his feathered fingers.

"Now Sora, remember what we said before?" squawked the oversized bird. "No sad faces or frowns, got it?"

"Yup," Goofy quickly added, making a silly face. "Besides, real friends, like Kairi, don't just go around forgettin' their pals. Hyuck! "

This little reassurance, even if it was slightly painful, had helped to boost Sora's spirits. That small frown was replaced by that trademark grin of his. He then proceeded to, well, looking at his own outfit and physique. Even after a year of slumber (AN: And puberty. P) , Sora was pretty much unchanged as far as his attitude came, and, of course, his clothes remained just as they were last year too. His red shorts, which used to cover his whole upper leg, now just barely touched his knees, while his shoes, jacket, and everything else were very tight-fitting now. All in all, it was plain to see that Sora had grown quite a bit while taking is year-long nap.

"Uh, guys…" muttered the teenager, eyes wide. "Is it me, or do my clothes seem… a little small? And… they're a bit tight too..."

Donald and Goofy instantly broke out laughing. Plainly, Sora was oblivious to the fact that he'd, well… matured, so to speak. Then again, it wasn't his fault. Mentally, Sora was still just a fourteen year old, and he didn't even know that he'd been sleeping for a whole year. Because of that, he was rather confused about the laughter of his two pals.

"Wait a sec!" Sora exclaimed. "What's so funny?"

Donald simply shook his feathered head with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Never mind. It's nothing. Anyway, uh… let's move it! We shouldn't just sit here, you two palookas!"

Obviously Donald was in one of his impatient moods at the moment, as his webbed for continuously tapped against the floor, and his feathered thumbs twiddled. At the same time, Goofy simply stood still and wore his usual, silly expression. How typical of the two. It always seemed that while Goofy was always in high spirits, and a bit naïve, Donald would be the impatient and temperamental of the two. Some things never change.

"I guess you're right," replied the Keybearer. "If we even want to find Riku and the King, we should first, well, figure out where we are."

"Well, what are we waitin' for, fellas?" Goofy asked, already halfway to the door.

No more words were necessary, as the trio found themselves rushing out the door of the pod room, and into the outside world. Well, the basement of the mansion is a better term, but nevertheless, these first few steps were the start of a new adventure. However, things would be far more difficult than one could even imagine, for, after all, Organization XIII were no pushovers.

**_ Elsewhere _**

"_He has finally awoken. It is only a matter of time until our plan takes action."_

In the middle of a strange castle, a group of cloaked figures were having a gathering of sorts. Unknown to Sora, Donald, Goofy, or any of the other worlds, a sinister plot was underway. By now, you should know that these mysterious figures were simply the remaining members of Organization XIII. Not counting Roxas, and Axel, both who weren't even present, there were only six members of the Org left. The rest had either been wiped out by Sora and/or Axel or Riku, or, had 'fallen into ruin'. Anyway, the Organization had a scheme, one that would greatly involve Sora and that little keyblade of his.

"_Are you sure this kid's good enough, though?" _whispered the voice of one of the members, who appeared to be somewhat skinny, but not, well not 'Axel skinny'.

"_He has saved countless worlds, defeated my heartless counterpart, and sealed the door to darkness. I even tested him once before. Truly he is fascinating. Do not underestimate him, Xigbar," _answered the Superior of the Org, Xemnas.

"_Well, I still say that the keyblade picked a dud this time. At least let me 'test' him," _groaned 'Xigbar'.

"_Very well."_

**_ Twilight_****_Town_**

Today was quite lovely, here in Twilight Town. The sun shone down upon the paved streets, and excitement filled the air. Each and every last shop was crowded by joyful faces, and in all this rush, it was rather hard to get around. Unfortunately, this was the case for Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Everywhere they turned, people could be seen running this way and that. Perhaps it was because today was the very last day of summer.

For a brief moment, the trio of friends decided to take a quick stop to observe the town. Bright lights shone, and a sweet summer smell danced in the air. A majority of the buildings in this town were made out of orangish-brown bricks, so the town looked pretty well coordinated, color wise. Yet, somehow, this wondrous place seemed so very familiar to Sora. It was as if he had been here before.

"Hey guys," Sora muttered quietly. "Is it me, or does this town seem… familiar? Have we ever been here?"

"Gawrsh, I don't think so, Sora," Goofy sighed, shaking his head. "But it's sure nice lookin'."

Well, apparently, at least according to Goofy, this place was somewhere totally new. Still, Sora couldn't help but feel that there was something unusual about the strange little town he stood in. It just gave him a strange sensation. In truth, Sora HAD indeed been to Twilight Town before, though it had been a simulation similar to the one Roxas had lived in for a while. However, due to his, and his two pals', memories of Castle Oblivion being erased, any recollections of this place were but slight ones.

After their short breather, Sora, Donald, and Goofy all headed towards the Sandlot, just because it seemed to be the most active part of town. Perhaps, they thought, if the place was so full and lively, then maybe someone could explain where and what this town was, and if they'd seen Riku or King Mickey.

Upon arriving in the Sandlot, it was plain for Sora and his friends to see why there was such a huge crowd. For, you see, right in the middle of the place stood two teenage boys fighting. One was moderately tall with short blonde hair, a black hat, and a silver jacket. The other was a bit shorter with lighter hair, a vest and short sleeved top, camo pants, and a very, very angered look on his face. Hayner and Seifer, of course, were the names of these two rivals. BUT, they were not the Hayner and Seifer from Roxas' Twilight Town, but the real deals. HOWEVER, the two still held their hatred just as much as their virtual counterparts. This was plain to see, though, since the two were ducking it out with their weapons. Hayner still had a struggle wand, and everything from the golden handle to the light blue tip looked exactly as the replica wands. As for Seifer, his weapon was far more dangerous. It resembled a sword, but it also had what looked like a trigger. This weapon was called a gunblade. And, well, at the moment, it seemed that Hayner was in for an unpleasant treat.

WHAM! Seifer's gunblade went smack across Hayner's face. The pressure of this blow knocked the hot-headed teenager to the ground. What was worse was the fact that the gunblade wasn't just a toy weapon. Nope, it was a really dangerous object that had the ability to cause some serious injuries if used correctly. This was sadly the case for Hayner, as the tip of the gunblade had cut him a little bit above his right eye, and a small trickle of blood could be seen dripping off of his wound. All at once, two other teenagers made their way to Hayner. One had crazy black hair, a red T-shirt and another top underneath, and a headband on his head, the other had long brown hair, and orange shirt, and tan pants. Obviously, these were the real Pence and Olette, who were still best buds with Hayner, just like the simulation versions of themselves.

Sora had been watching this whole entire scene, and it made him sick. It wasn't really the fact that Hayner and Seifer were fighting that ticked him off, but rather that Seifer had an unfair advantage by using a REAL weapon to HURT poor Hayner. Making matters worse was the fact that Hayner was bleeding too, even if only a little. Sora finally snapped when he saw Seifer and his whole group bursting into laughter, while Hayner sat down, cringing slightly from the pain the gunblade had delivered. That was all that was needed to send Sora rushing towards the middle of the sandlot with his keyblade in hand.

"Hey, you!" yelled the aggravated Keybearer. "I don't think it's fair that you have that blade, while he has that little club. Why don't you try me instead?"

Instantly, Seifer and his cronies, Raijin, Fujin, and Vivi, broke out into maniacal laughter. To them, Sora was just a 'lamer' with a giant key. Obviously they knew not the power of the Keyblade. To them, it looked just like a simple toy.

"You don't stand a chance against Seifer, y'know!" Raijin chuckled. "He has his gunblade, while you're stuck with that giant key."

"I'd suggest you listen to Rai," Seifer added. "You'd just end up running home, crying for your mommy, when I got through with you, anyway."

The attitude problems of the Disciplinary Committee may have persuaded any average individual, but Sora was different. He had faced armies of heartless, thrashed Maleficent, and even defeated Ansem and sealed the door to darkness. Seifer was nothing compared to the threats Sora had dealt with in the past. He would prove this as well, as he wound up charging straight at Seifer, ready to hit him with the keyblade.

CLINK! Unfortunately, Seifer was quick to defend himself by blocking the keyblade with his own weapon. Almost immediately, he tried to whack Sora like he had done with Hayner, but, such a tactic had failed, as the Keybearer was now rolling across the ground in order to confuse the head of the disciplinary committee. Several more attempts were made to hit Sora, but each one was a failure. Then, all at once, Sora finally made his move when Seifer least expected it, knocking him several feet forward.

"You're not bad, chicken wuss…" Seifer groaned, "but… when I'm done with ya, you'll wish you had never wandered onto my turf!"

All at once, Seifer took a dive towards Sora, which caught the spiky brown haired boy by surprise. The Gunblade managed to leave a mark on Sora's face, though, fortunately, it wasn't an open wound. Another problem, though, was that Seifer was currently pinning him down, threatening to take another swipe with his weapon if Sora made another move.

In his mind, Sora thought of all the possible ways to get out of this little situation. If he squirmed just one bit, Seifer would just strike back at him. This could easily cause problems, since that pretty much rendered the keyblade as useless. Then, all of the sudden, Sora remembered that he could use magic! Gravity seemed like a decent spell to get the job done, so quietly, he held his keyblade tight in both hands and concentrated until Seifer was sent flying.

THUD! Well, Sora's magic, though rusty, was sure strong enough to give Seifer an uncomfortable landing. He was really winded and unable to attack at the moment, which gave Sora the perfect chance to finish Seifer off. In fact, the spiky haired teen actually did make his way towards Seifer, but… he called back his weapon and remained still.

"I think that's enough," sighed Sora, gazing down at Seifer. "Not bad for a 'chicken wuss', eh?"

"Yeah, well, I just went easy on ya!" snorted Twilight Town's biggest jerk, spitting at the ground.

Seifer's comeback made Sora once again become greatly angered, but a little tug on the leg of his shorts caused him to turn away. When he turned around, Sora noticed Donald and Goofy, who had been watching the whole fight, fully interested, but it wasn't either of them who had tugged upon Sora's shorts. No, it was Vivi! The little black mage was staring right at Sora with his bright yellow eyes, fully amazed at the outcome of the fight.

"Wow," whispered Vivi, "I've NEVER seen anyone beat Seifer before."

"Heh, thanks, but, it's all part of being the Keybearer, I guess," Sora replied. "Besides, how could anyone let that jerk take on…um… whatever that guy's name is…"

"It's Hayner," interrupted the injured, but still hot-headed teen. "And, thanks for the help and all, but I could've taken Seifer down if I had the chance!"

Both Pence and Olette gave their friend a stern glare. They obviously knew that Hayner was only bluffing. After all, that gunblade was a dangerous device, and the little scratch he got from it was only an example of its power. Hayner was lucky that his wound wouldn't become a scar, though a stronger slash from Seifer's weapon could easily prove otherwise.

"Don't listen to him," Olette said with a shrug. "Hayner's over confident at times. Thanks got helping… Seifer really could have hurt him. I'm Olette, by the way, and that's Pence over there."

Donald and Goofy made their way to Sora, and the trio gave their typical smirks. The three of them hadn't been in Twilight Town very long, if you don't count the year long sleep, yet it was beginning to seem that they had made a positive impression on the citizens… well, sparing Seifer and his cronies. Maybe it was just the luck of the Keybearer and his two friends, but in just a few minutes, Sora and his pals may have made a few new friends here.

"It's no problem, really," Sora replied. "I was just doing the hero thing. Anyway, my name's Sora."

"Donald Duck," added Sora's fowl friend.

"Hyuck! I'm Goofy. Pleased to meet ya.."

Hayner jerked himself away from his friends and got up to his feet. For some reason, he was staring at Sora, but why? The look in his eyes was rather puzzling, and it appeared that the hot-headed blonde was trying to examine Sora. Confused slightly, Sora decided to question the teen.

"Uh… is there something funny about me?" asked the Keybearer in his bafflement.

"…No," Hayner answered, "It's just… I swear that you look like someone I've met… "

Both Donald and Goofy passed glances at Sora, who simply shrugged his shoulders. Whatever Hayner had meant by saying Sora looked like someone he knew had to have been mere coincidence, right? Well, that's at least what the chocolate haired hero thought. After all, this was his first time in Twilight Town… at least that's what he thought.

"I can't be anyone you know," Sora sighed. "This is my first time in this world…"

This news made Hayner somewhat upset. Something in his mind told him that something was very fishy about the spiky haired Keybearer, yet these claims of never even being around TT seemed to prove otherwise. These conflictions seemed to just cause confusion for him, which, though wasn't too uncommon for Hayner, proved to be rather irritating, especially with that temper of his.

"Oh, I see…" Hayner muttered quietly. "Guess it was just my imagination then."

Silently, the headstrong adolescent turned away and made his way back to Pence and Olette, who both exchanged puzzled-yet-worried looks. Just then, Olette stepped towards Sora and gave out a sigh. To her it was rather unusual for Hayner to react this way to utter strangers.

"Sorry if Hayner's being a little odd," whispered the auburn haired young lady. "He's been sort of… well, paranoid lately and says that someone he knows has been missing… that, and the fact that he's been trying to take on Seifer whenever he gets the chance."

Sora quietly nodded. "I understand. He must have mistaken me for whoever it is he's looking for. It's funny, though, cuz, when I first came here, I thought this place looked familiar… Funny how things happen, I guess."

"Gawrsh," Goofy added, scratching his head, "I sure hope you find your pal soon."

After Goofy's little statement, things quieted down for a bit. Seifer and his cronies seemed to head off to another part of town, and the big hubbub from the little rumble died down. Within a few moments, the only people in the Sandlot were Sora, Donald, Goofy, Hayner, Pence and Olette. Even then, the group was rather still and calm, though the silence was soon to be broken.

"Hey," Sora suddenly said, "I was wondering something. You see, Donald, Goofy, and I were sort of looking for someone before we got here… and maybe you've seen them?"

"Well, we might have," Pence replied, lazily leaning against one of the walls. "What do they look like?"

"Well, one of them is King Mickey. He's rather short and he's got these huge, round ears. Then there's Riku, who's a bit taller than me and has silver hair…"

Quickly, Pence turned his attention to his two friends, who exchanged strange glances before facing Sora again.

"I'm not so sure if these are the two you're looking for," answered the slightly chubby teenager, "but I think there was somebody in a black cloak in town earlier… he seemed in a hurry to leave. Then there was another one who was a bit shorter… maybe he's this king?"

Someone short DID fit the description for Mickey, after all. Perhaps Pence and his pals had seen the King! Just the thought of this brought up the spirits of Sora, and even more so, Donald and Goofy. After all, the last time they had seen their King was right before the door to Kingdom Hearts had been sealed, and, though Sora wanted to see him too, it was mostly Riku who he was worried about.

So, do you think it's him?" Sora asked his two buddies after hearing Pence's description.

"Could be," Goofy replied.

"Well, c'mon!" Donald quacked eagerly. "If we just stand here, we could already be too late!"

It was blatantly obvious that Donald and Goofy were in a rush to see their King. The problem was that they had no idea of how to find him, or how to get out of town. Nevertheless, with this news, it seemed that the trio was one step closer to finding Riku and Mickey. However, only time would tell if such assumptions were true.

"Say, Pence," pondered the spiky auburn haired hero, "how long ago were those two strangers here? And also, do you know a way out of town?"

"You have to take the train," blurted Hayner abruptly, "and as for when those two left… well, the taller guy was gone by this morning, and the midget with the ears… he actually only left a few hours ago. If you hurry, maybe you'll be able to catch up with him."

"But where do we go?" asked the dopey dog known as Goofy.

"That's easy. Just go to the station! C'mon, I'll show you the way!"

With those last few words said, Hayner rushed off in the direction of the station heights with Pence and Olette behind. Sora, Donald, and Goofy weren't even given a breather before they found themselves trailing behind. As they went through Twilight Town towards their destination, the trio got some strange looks from nearby citizens. It was probably because of the way they were all frantic about this whole thing with Mickey.

Soon Sora and his pals reached the top of the heights and were mere yards away from the station itself. They had finally caught up with Hayner and the gang, who were standing oddly still, staring at a man in a black cloak. He seemed middle-aged, judging by his build, and carried a large gun-like in one of his hands. At his sides were a few dusks. Oddly enough, though, both the man and the dusks were perfectly still… for a moment.

Right as Sora and company reached the center of the station plaza, the mysterious man snapped his fingers all of the sudden, and the troop of dusks leaped forward, ready to strike. Immediately, Sora summoned the keyblade and charged forward with Donald and Goody close behind. Hayner and the gang simple backed off a little, since they had nothing to defend themselves.

The first few dusks leapt about, seemingly taunting the Keybearer and his companions. Each time Sora tried to strike, the nobodies would slip beneath his feet and lash his legs with their flexible arms. When Goofy attempted to charge the beasts with his shield, the dusks would jump out of the way and circle about. Donald seemed to be doing a bit better than the other two, but he seemed a tad rusty on his spells. All in all, the small army of nobodies was easily dealing blows to the three heroes.

SLAP! Sora met yet another lash on his leg, landing face flat on the ground. Around five dusks began advancing in his direction, ready to deal even more blows. Luckily, Sora was quick to get back on his feet, and, though absentmindedly, he did a reversal tactic which caused the dusks to be confused for a moment. Now was the chance to make a move! SLICE! The keyblade cut right through the nobodies as if they were simple pieces of pie.

With this new trick in mind, fighting the dusks became much easier, but nevertheless, things weren't necessarily easy. True, five dusks were taken down in a mere second of time, but around twenty remained. Also, Donald and Goofy weren't faring too well. By now they were running low on stamina and still were clueless about the reversal technique. Sora HAD to help them out, so, instead of rushing towards the other dusks, he darted over two his two buds.

"Donald, Goofy!" Sora shouted. "You have to confuse them! Just make a quick circle movement! It's that easy!"

"Got it!" replied the duck mage right before following Sora's orders.

Now that all three of them had this new tactic in mind, it was time to finish off these strange freaks in white. Of course, the dusks, being more intelligent than heartless, were prepared as well. The rest of the troop began circling inward in a constricting fashion. If they could get Sora and the others in an enclosed space, using reversal tactics would prove ineffective. Because of this, hurrying was the best method for victory.

Swiftly spinning in circles, Sora, Donald, and even Goofy managed to confuse many of the advancing dusks. Once the creatures were dazed, Donald shot his lighting spell, shocking the creatures into oblivion. Any dusks that were left after the shock were finished off by either Goofy or Sora. This little strategy had eliminated even more dusks, but those who survived just moved on forward in an eerie way.

Once again, the trio circled about, followed by a second assault of thunder spells. One by one, the dusks decreased in numbers until a measly three remained. It was then that the stranger in the cloak snapped his fingers once again, and the last few dusks disappeared… just like that. Whoever the stranger was, he seemed quite entertained, as he gave out a snicker before disappearing himself.

After things calmed down a bit, Hayner, Pence, and Olette made their way back to Sora and co. The battle between the small dusk army had been rather rough, that's for sure, and it was good that the trio from Twilight Town had stayed on the sidelines.

"Hey, man," Hayner exclaimed, "you're not too shabby at fighting. I don't think I even could have handled those weirdos the way you three did. You have my props. Anyway, let's get inside. The train's gonna leave any second."

Sora gave out a sigh of relief before replying. Those dusks had been far more trouble than any heartless, for sure.

"Thanks," he mumbled, "but I completely forgot something… how are we gonna pay for the tickets?"

Just then, Olette reached into her pocket and pulled out a small little pouch that appeared to have been made by hand. She gave a slight smile and handed Sora the little trinket. When the Keybearer peeked inside, he found just enough munny to buy three tickets out of town.

"You can use the munny I've been saving if you'd like," said the cheerful young lady. "We were going to go to the beach, but I think you three need tickets more than we do."

Slowly, Sora reached into the little pouch and pulled out the munny before handing Olette her little trinket. This little act was very kind of her, and Sora, Goody, and, yes, even Donald couldn't help but smile. They hadn't really done anything in return to get the cash, but perhaps it was just the fact that the TT gang wanted to help their new friends that made Olette give up her only money.

"Thank you," Sora said, giving his trademark grin. "I'll have to pay you back some time. We really should get going, though. The King and Riku are waiting for us!"

Even if they had only just met, it seemed that the two trios would continue to share a friendship. It was a shame that in such short time, they were about to part ways, but there just wasn't enough time to stay any longer. Perhaps someday they would all meet again, but that was for another time.

"Good luck!" shouted Hayner, as his three new friends headed towards the train. "Don't forget to come back some time! I'd love to take you on in a struggle match… especially you, Sora."

"You're on, Hayner!" replied the spiky haired hero with a smirk, just before entering the station.

Inside, things were relatively calm. Even the way the place looked was rather casual: a simple cement floor and brick walls. Buying the tickets was a quick and easy process. Once the little slips of paper had been purchased, it was time to head for the train. Strangely enough, there was but one train left in the station, even though a scheduled three were supposed to be there. This unusual vehicle was purple with yellow stars painted onto it and other bizarre décor. It seemed more like something you'd see at the circus than a train. Still, it was the only way out of Twilight Town, so Sora, Donald and Goofy had no choice but to slowly step inside.

Now, what REALLY made the train eerie was the fact that there was no conductor or anyone else inside, yet everything was functioning perfectly. Besides the little creepiness, though, things were rather comforting for the trio. It was actually quite nice to be somewhere quiet for a change, as opposed to constantly fighting heartless and other enemies.

As the train began to leave, everything outside the windows appeared to change. Gone was the casual station, and in its place was a set of digital looking tracks heading through a sea of stars. The view was beautiful all the same, regardless of the strangeness. However, this peace and beauty was to be short lived, for Sora at least, for, as he sat staring out the window, he suddenly heard a terrible screeching noise. Immediately, he tried to cover his ears, but the sound wouldn't stop. Within a few moments, the Keybearer had fallen unconscious.

End of Chapter

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**AN: **Hooray for teh cliffy! Bow to its power... mmkay? Anyway, Chapter 2 should be up almost instantly, since it's written already as well, and Chapter 3 should follow in about a day or so. As for what happens next chapter: We get to see more ROXAS! -dance- Yes, I'm crazy. And, again, don't forget to leave a review!


	3. Strange Dreams and Inner Darkness

Greetings! If you made it this far, I must give you a cookie. -chucks a cookie- Chapter 2 is where things get interesting. Roxas has found himself in Hollow Bastion after using the portal, but what will Leon and the gang think of him? Oooh! Suspense. Oh, by the way, what happened to Riku is finally revealed in this chapter… and it's nowhere near as strange as it was in the actual KH2, but I wanted to do something… different. So, enjoy… mmkay?

Disclaimer: If only it were mine. Then chaos would break loose. -shot-

Chapter 2: Strange Dreams and Inner Darkness

_** Hollow Bastion**_

"_So, this is the kid you found in the streets, Yuffie?"_

"_Yep! He almost was heartless bait, but luckily, I, the great ninja Yuffie was there. Still, I wonder where he came from…"_

"_You know, he looks a lot like Sora… Hmph, maybe when he wakes up we should ask him who he is, where he came from, and how he got here."_

"_Just leave that to me!"_

POKE! In the middle of a strange room, stood a hyperactive young woman with short black hair and a ninja-like wardrobe. Her name was Yuffie, and she was a member of the Hollow Bastion restoration committee. Other members included Squall Leonheart, AKA Leon, a young man with dark brown hair who wore a black jacket, and matching pants, and had a scar across his face. Then there was Cid Highwind, a former pilot who spoke with a somewhat southern accent, had short blonde hair, and always had a toothpick in his mouth. Third in the committee was Aeris Gainsborough, a beautiful woman with long, braided brown hair and sea green eyes, who dressed in a simple pink dress and brown boots. Lastly was the magician known was Merlin. His outfit consisted of a blue robe and a matching hat, and on his was face a long, white beard.

POKEY POKE! Yuffie once again poked this boy who she had brought in, who was actually none other than Roxas. Anyway, this sudden onslaught of poking had finally caused the nobody to come to his senses, and the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was the face of some crazy girl who seemed to enjoy poking him in the face. His reaction was that of a startled one, since Yuffie's face was so close, and immediately, Roxas jumped backwards while screaming and, without thinking, summoned the keyblade.

Instantly, Leon, Yuffie, and the others began to stare at Roxas in a curious manner. After all, the only person they knew who could summon the keyblade was Sora. It was only when he received these awkward glares that the blonde haired nobody realized that he had just done something incredibly stupid. The worst part was, since he had been caught with the blade, it would be very difficult to come up with any excuses for having it.

"…Where did you get that!" demanded Leon, crossing his arms.

Obviously, Roxas was a bit nervous. He had to come up with something, and fast. Blurting out that he was the nobody of Sora would only confuse them, while saying nothing would simply cause Leon and the gang to become even MORE suspicious.

"Uh…" Roxas muttered, a sweat drop dripping down his cheek, "I… found it?"

"I highly doubt that," Leon growled. "The keyblade chooses its wielder; it can't just be 'found'. Now, tell us the REAL reason why you have it."

Who was Roxas kidding? This was LEON he was dealing with, not some typical idiot. Though he only knew of Leon from the memories of Sora, Roxas felt incredibly stupid about this whole deal. Then again, saying that he was a nobody of Sora would probably lead to even more ridicule and/or confusion. So, without any other ideas, the Keybearing nobody came up with the best excuse he could think of.

"Alright… you got me," Roxas sighed, quickly preparing to give his little lie. "I'm actually an acquaintance of Sora's and… well, I'm also… another Keybearer?"

At first Roxas got no response from Squall and the rest of the Restoration Committee. Instead, they all passed quiet glances and whispers for a minute. But even though things were incredibly nerve wracking, it seemed that this little last-minute excuse may have actually proved buyable. The answer was just about to be revealed, though, as Leon faced Roxas once again.

"Hmm, so you're one of Sora's friends," grumbled Leon. "Well, I suppose that makes sense, since he does travel all over the worlds. I STILL find it odd that you're another Keybearer, though."

A quiet snicker could be heard coming from Yuffie, who always seemed to be in bright spirit's. Leon's attitude simply amused her, since the two were polar opposites. Momentarily, she looked Roxas over one more time before ambling over the overly serious member of the committee.

"Oh, come on, Squall!" exclaimed the crazy ninja. "Maybe he can help us!"

"Hmm," Leon pondered, "you're right. What do you say, Keybearer? Are you up for it?"

_Great, _Roxas thought, somewhat annoyed. _Now I am volunteered to help. Maybe it comes with being Sora's nobody… but I might as well get this over with. _

It seemed that, because he too could wield a Keyblade, Roxas would most likely get dragged into hero business. Oh well. At least it was better than being trapped inside some virtual world or fusing with someone. Plus, he DID have the same potential as Sora, right? Maybe being a hero wouldn't be so hard for Roxas, and it would be a good start to his new life outside Twilight Town. So, with a shrug, he prepared to take on… well, what ever was necessary.

"Alright," said Roxas with a slight smirk. "So, what do I need to do?"

"Follow me," replied the over-serious 17 year old, trekking towards the door.

**Roxas POV**

What did I get myself into? From the moment I decided to take on this hero business, I just felt uneasy. Still, helping was better than just sitting inside while everyone became suspicious of me, especially since Leon didn't seem all to trusting of me yet. But who could blame him? I pretty much had appeared out of nowhere, and the whole Keybearer deal didn't help either. Either way, though, I had already decided to assist Leon in whatever was necessary, so I followed him out the door.

Outside Merlin's house was definitely a total wreck. Many houses were damaged with cracked bricks, claw marks, and the works. I really could see why Leon and the others were trying so hard to restore this place to its former glory. Leon himself remained rather quiet, not even looking back. Maybe it was because he didn't trust me, or it could have been just the way he is. It was hard to say. Anyway, as I followed him through the borough, all the damage seemed to get even worse. This wasn't the Hollow Bastion I—or rather, Sora—remembered. Where was the castle? And, how come everything was such a mess?

"Hey, Leon…" I said, not even realizing what I was about to get myself into, "what happened to the castle? You know, the one where Maleficent, Ansem, and the heartless…"

How could I have been so stupid? Having a keyblade was already enough to make me seem fishy, but now I just had to go and mention the castle, which I only knew about from Sora's memories. I could just feel that Leon was going to become even more suspicious now. Great…

I tried to continue walking forward, but I was met by a cold gaze from Leon, who had definitely heard my stupid question. He crossed his arms and stepped forward a bit, seemingly angry. Something told me that things weren't going to be very pleasant now that I had almost spilled my secret. If only I had a decent excuse…

"How do you know my name, Keybearer?" demanded the seventeen year old, glaring at me with his piercing brown eyes. "And, for that matter, you weren't even here when the castle was still around, OR when the whole Ansem incident happened. Explain. Now."

Now I HAD to find an excuse… but what? There was always the whole 'Sora told me about you' thing, but was Leon really that gullible? I doubted it. Even after I told him my first little lie, he didn't fully believe me. If anything, he'd probably end up asking Sora about me next time he came around here, and then I'd REALLY be in trouble. At that moment, the voices in my head were saying 'Tell him the TRUTH', but I just couldn't… right?

"Uh…" I began to mutter without thinking, "maybe there's more to me than just being an acquaintance of Sora's… but… you wouldn't understand."

"Hm, you never know," sighed Leon in response. "Just try me. And, maybe you should tell me your name."

Nervously, I opened my mouth slightly. Was I really going to reveal that I was Sora's nobody? How would Leon react? I mean, he might not have even heard of nobodies. It's just… he was beginning to lose what little trust he had in me. Sweat drops were dripping down my face as I stood there, trying to get the words to materialize in my mouth. But… that gaze of his was just so paralyzing.

"M-my name is Roxas…" I began to mutter, wiping the sweat off of my face. "And, the real reason I know all about you guys, Hollow Bastion, and Ansem, as well as the reason I have a Keyblade is because…"

Just as I prepared to reveal everything, I was interrupted. From behind Leon, I could hear something rushing forward. As the two of us turned around, we saw a pulsating mass of blackness advancing in our direction. A heartless swarm had ambushed us. Great… a battle was JUST what I needed… not. I felt a slight push from Leon, who was already holding his gunblade at the ready. With a sigh, I summoned Oblivion and Oathkeeper. Afterwards, the two of us charged right towards the army of dark creatures.

Heartless… the only thing I knew of them was from the memories of Sora. Even then, I seemed to instinctively know exactly what to do. Right when I jumped into the fray, I was surrounded by about ten shadows. Each one tried to cling onto me, but I managed to jump out of their way and slash them with my two keyblades. Meanwhile, Leon was using the gunblade to obliterate any heartless in his way. I had to admit that he was a pretty good fighter.

Out of nowhere, five more heartless jumped forth, ready to strike. Unfortunately for them, they were messing with the Keybearer… er… I mean his nobody. Anyway, for this small group of shadows, I simply jumped in the middle of their group and did a spinning action, chopping them into little bits. So far, I was on a role. I had taken care of fifteen shadows, while Leon had done about twenty, which meant only half of the heartless remained.

I was about to charge towards another small circle of shadows when I felt something pull me backwards, towards the ground. THUD! Within an instant, I had fallen back onto the hard cement, and a shadow quickly jumped onto my chest. It began trying to dig into me with its claws, probably trying to capture a new heart. I could hear Leon rushing towards me, but my eyes were stuck staring into the shadow's glowing yellow eyes. I could sense the darkness trying to pull me in, but it wasn't succeeding because… I had no heart to steal. Still, the little creature clawed right where my heart would be until it met the sharp end of the gunblade.

The next thing I saw was Leon's gaze again, though not near as threatening as it had been earlier. He quickly reached for my arm and pulled me upward. It was now time to finish this fight. Another ten heartless had been eliminated now, leaving only fifteen. What had once been a swarm of fifty was now just a group of harmless shadows. Oddly enough, Leon gave me a smirk before charging at the shadowy beings. I didn't take the time to question him, but instead, I followed behind, and together we began cutting through the heart-stealing beasts.

Of course, the last heartless were no match for us, due to their smaller ranks. Whenever they tried slashing us, they were met by our weapons. Each time the heartless circled around, they were fought back by painful blows. Soon, only one heartless remained. BANG! All it took was a simple blow from my Oblivion keyblade to eliminate the last heart-hungry creature. Now the alley was calm once again.

For a moment, I sad down on the concrete to take a breather, since taking on those heartless had worn me out. Who knew being a hero could be so rough? After all, I may have had Sora's memories, but I didn't exactly remember how it FELT to fight heartless. Plus, at that moment when the heartless tried to steal the one thing I didn't have, I felt as though it was eating away at my strength, which didn't improve anything.

Still exhausted, I took a look at Leon, who once again had his arms crossed, but he seemed a lot less snide and suspicious. That was quite the relief, since I had almost admitted my true existence earlier. Maybe now I wouldn't have to worry about answering too many questions.

"You know," muttered Leon in a calm tone, "you're probably the strangest person I've met, Roxas. First you have a keyblade, then you mention stuff that only Sora and his friends would remember, and then, when the heartless attacked you, nothing happened. But… I have to say that you're a pretty decent fighter."

"Thanks," I replied, taking a deep breath. "You're not half bad either. I'm sure you could handle Seif—er… Anyway, about how strange I am…"

"It's not important, for now. I'm sure that when Sora gets here, he can just fill me in, since he's an acquaintance of yours…"

Sora… here? No, I couldn't be around when that happened. What if he wanted the rest of his power back? Or worse… what if Sora wanted to destroy me? DiZ might have even been around to tell him about how 'terrible' nobodies are. If that happened, I'd be in grave danger. If Sora was going to come here, I couldn't stay. At least… not until I knew for sure if he was a friend or foe.

"Umm… Leon?" I suddenly whispered. "I'm glad to have helped you with your apparent heartless problem, but I really have to go."

The brown haired, seventeen year old, gave a quiet sigh. He didn't appear incredibly surprised or upset, but at the same time, I could tell he wasn't exactly very happy.

"Well, if you have to leave, go ahead," he said in a monotonous tone. "Next time you come here, though, I'd like you to explain some things, if Sora hasn't already."

With that, I said nothing more and began to leave the alley. But, hey, what else was I supposed to do? If Leon caught me opening a dark portal, it'd probably weird him out again. After a few seconds of walking, I was a fair enough distance to open the portal, so I reached out an arm and concentrated on the dark energy around me. Luckily, I was successful, as the blackish purple vortex stood before. Now that it was ready, I silently stepped on through and was surrounded by blackness again.

**End Roxas POV**

**_ The Ghost Train _**

_Sora? SORA!_

_Gawrsh, Donald… I wonder what happened._

When Sora regained consciousness, he found himself lying on the floor with a certain duck and god staring at him with worried expressions. At first, he jumped back slightly, but once his vision cleared, he was a bit calmer. His mind was now filled with confusing thoughts. The image of a blonde haired boy around his age dressed in black and white, mostly, with two keyblades was in Hollow Bastion. And… his name was Roxas? Sora just had to tell Donald and Goofy!

"GUYS!" he shouted, incredibly eager to explain his dreams. "I had a REALLY weird dream. It was in Hollow Bastion and there was this guy who looked a lot like me, only with blonde hair and black and white clothes… and his name was Roxas. But, he could wield two keyblades, and—"

"GAAAAH!"

WHACK! For the second time that day, Sora's head met the end of Donald's staff. It was obvious that the talking poultry was somewhat annoyed by Sora's chatter. But, hey, he was talking at a rapid, not to mention being noisy. Goofy, on the other hand was giving the oversized duck a somewhat nervous look.

"Gawrsh, Donald…" Goofy mumbled, "Shouldn't we just listen to Sora?"

Obviously, the short tempered bird wasn't too pleased at the moment. Both of his webbed feet were stomping against the ground, and his two feathery arms lay crossed against his chest. This was pretty typical for Donald, though, since he had a temper even worse than Hayner's.

"Fine," Donald squawked, sounding quite pestered. "But he better slow down."

A quiet snicker could be heard coming from Sora and Goofy. This was typical for whenever Donald got into one of his bad moods. It was just routine for the trio after being together for so long. Donald himself wasn't exactly amused by this, but decided to remain as calm as an easily angered fowl could be. After all, Sora WAS his friend. Thankfully for the duck, though, Sora had stopped goofing off and prepared to explain his dream with a bit more clarity.

"Alright," began the Keybearer, "what I was trying to say was that I had this really weird dream. It started over in Hollow Bastion, in a strange house. Yuffie, Leon, and the others were all there along with this strange kid with blonde hair who looked a lot like… well, me. The funny thing is, he could wield a keyblade too… well, actually, he had dual keyblades, and his name was Roxas... or something. He also claimed to know me… but, we've never even met. Whoever he was, though, he sure knew a lot about Hollow Bastion and Ansem…"

Both Donald and Goofy exchanged puzzled glances. From the way Sora had described this dream, it almost seemed like this Roxas fellow was a clone! After all, he DID apparently share similar looks with the spiky haired Keybearer. Even his name had a familiar ring. But, the problem was, during the whole Ansem fiasco, nobody who fit Roxas' description was ever around. Heck, the only people to have any form of keyblade were Riku and Sora. So, from the sound of this dream, it almost seemed nonsensical.

"Hmm," Donald sighed. "I don't know what to tell ya, Sora. Maybe it was just a dream."

'Just a dream.' Those three words seemed to be the easiest answer… but, everything was so vivid. Each and every building, Leon and the gang, and even the heartless were… PERFECT. Since when were dreams THAT realistic, anyway? It just made no sense. Deep down, Sora just KNEW there was more to his dream and that this Roxas was real. One could call it instinct or maybe just sheer determination, but he just HAD to get to the bottom of this dream.

Even in Sora's eyes, a determined glow could be seen. It was very obvious that he wouldn't just let hi strange vision slide as a simple figment of his young mind. Because of this, both Donald and Goofy gave their friend looks of concern. They were just, well, worried about the teenager. Upon seeing these looks, though, the chocolate haired Keybearer just shrugged and turned towards the window of the train.

"It couldn't have been a dream," he said under his breath. "Why would I suddenly doze off when I just woke up about an hour ago? There just has to be more to this… I just know it!"

Overhearing Sora's whispers, the oversized canine and duck slowly walked towards their pal. At the moment, the two just wanted to comfort Sora. He was just so… attached to this little dream, and it was now plain to see that the kid wouldn't give up. So, being the friends they were, Donald and Goofy would just have to stick with their close comrade.

"Well, Sora," Goofy chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, "if that's what ya think then we're behind you all the way"

"Yup!" added the poultry mage. "That's what friends are for!"

Just hearing his friends say such simple things brought that bright grin RIGHT back to Sora's face. It was just great for him to hear that his buds would stand by him, even when he was all wrapped up in a miniscule vision. However, this bright moment was cut short, as the ghost train finally came to a sudden halt. The doors slid open in an ominous way, adding more mystery to the already unusual vehicle. It was less than an instant before the chill in the air began to journey through the train, while wrapping around the three passengers.

Without saying another word, the trio left the all-but-empty train and took a look at their new surroundings. Where they stood now was quite strange. The ground was coated in green grass with a small castle in the distance, but what really made the place stick out was that the terrain was virtually a floating platform surrounded by a black sky. As far as light went, only the stars were there to brighten the mood.

For a moment, the train sat in place, but after a while, it chugged off into the distance. This left Sora, Donald, and Goofy alone in an eerie place they had never even visited. A quiet breeze was the only noise, and as it blew, it carried on that chill that had greeted the trio on the train. Still standing in the distance, the lone castle taunted them, luring them towards it.

"Hey…" Sora whispered to his buddies, "do you think we should check out that castle?"

Even though Donald and Goofy were terribly nervous, they couldn't help but nod. No matter how strange it was, the castle was the only place to go in this area. Maybe whoever was inside could even answer the countless questions the trio of heroes had. There were so many possibilities, really, but standing still sure wouldn't answer anything. Because of this, Sora, Donald, and Goofy headed for the large building in the distance.

**_ Somewhere _**

The sky was pitch black and filled with murky grey clouds. Rain drops were rapidly falling like bullets in a machine gun, and the sound of thunder could be heard in the distance. To sum things up, a heavy rainstorm was occurring in a small, dark town. Due to the weather, the streets were incredibly bare spare an assortment of puddles and runoff. Yet, in the middle of this watery mess, a single cloaked figure could be seen, walking all alone. Riku really didn't seem to mind the rain, even if his cloak was now weighing down upon him. Right now, the boy was caught in his own thoughts.

One of the major things on Riku's mind was what Namine had said to him days earlier. She had told the silver haired teenager how he had changed. And, the thing is, deep down, he knew she was right. Ever since he had let the darkness invade him just one year ago, Riku never had been the same. To him this was a sacrifice worth making to help his best friend, and at least he was able to avoid becoming a full heartless. But, there was no way Riku would let his heart fill up completely with darkness.

Now, as Riku walked these barren streets, his mind just continued to wander. He did, however, come to a halt for a moment. His arm then reached for the hood of his cloak, and within mere seconds, the friend of Sora had taken the hood off completely. At first glance, the sixteen year old hadn't changed one bit. He still had that same silver hair and all, but if one took a closer look, they would find that his once turquoise eyes were now a bright tinge of yellow. True, they still retained their normal shape, rather than being the sphere-shaped eyes seen on heartless, but the change in color was their. Along with a change in eye color, Riku's skin was now pitch black as well, making his being appear to be much like a living shadow with his hair being the only feature standing out. Even the black cloak made the boy's appearance seem like an embodiment of darkness.

Standing in the rain, Riku couldn't help but wear an expression of sorrow as he stared down at a puddle below. His reflection showed what had become of the one who had at one time said he would walk the road to dawn and leave the darkness behind him. How ironic it was that Riku had only ended up in darkness once again.

"Maybe…" whispered the sorrowful teen to himself, "I just… belong in darkness…"

It was only then that Riku heard an all too familiar voice in his mind_   
_

"Namine…"

**_ Flashback _**

In the white room of the Twilight Town mansion, the only sound that could be heard was sobbing. It was only two days ago that Namine had been locked in to prevent her from guiding Roxas any longer. That wasn't what had caused the poor girl's tears, though. More than anything else, the reason for Namine's sorrow was simply because of DiZ, and recently, Riku. She already knew about DiZ's bias when it came to nobodies like her, but the words and behavior used by the man still hurt. Then Riku had to come in and use hurtful words.

As the nobody sat on her bed, tears rolling down her cheeks, she heard a creak in the door. Upon turning around, Namine found herself facing Riku. Great… had he come to continue ranting about how she and Roxas were JUST nobodies? If so, he could just go on and leave.

"What do you want?" sniffed the young lady, turning the opposite way of Riku.

Unlike the last time Riku had shown his face in the room, his hood was down and he wore a less angered look on his visage. Instead, the sixteen year old wore more of a concerned frown. Something was clearly going on if the boy was actually showing himself instead of hiding in the pod room.

"Namine…" Riku sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "About earlier… I'm sorry. You said the darkness has taken over… and, you're right. Maybe it's because, I'm just meant for the darkness."

"So you're just going to give up? If you let the darkness win, how will you ever face Sora?"

**_ End Flashback _**

_You're right, Namine, _Riku thought to himself. _I can't let the darkness win, but until I've won this battle with myself, I can't show myself to Sora. Who knows what he'd think of me   
_

So, with that thought in mind, the silver haired teenager walked onward, not looking back once. He would still avoid Sora, but now a new goal was in mind: defeating his inner darkness. But, for now, there were other matters for him to deal with.

End of Chapter

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**AN: **Sorry if Riku-kun seems a little too angsty. XD He's just not in a good mood due to the whole darkness thing. And, as you can see, things are starting to get different. And now, a preview of the next chapter!

-announcer voice- When Sora, Donald, and Goofy find themselves in the presence of a sorcerer, what sorts of strange things will occur? Dancing brooms, weird music, and halls that lack walls are only a few of the wonders that await. For, you see, when Sora faces the master of the castle, he learns that part of his memories have been lost in a sort of restoration process along with the fact that he will have to go through quite a struggle to find his friend. But, when he asks of his dreams, the only thing he gets is a simple "You will have to uncover that on your own." Meanwhile, Riku finds himself face-to-face with an obnoxious cat who happens to ride an oversized stuffed moogle. Nothing is as it seems.

Anyway, reviews are welcome and appreciated, as usual!


	4. A Sorceror's Castle

Another quick update has arrived! XD I'm dishing these up pretty fast, huh? Well, in this Chap, we have some of the last few traces of our similar starting ground, and even then, the only REAL thing close is how Yen Sid explains the nobodies. I got a funny twist at the end of the Sora part of this chappy, though. :P Then, with Riku, we get to see Cait Sith! YAY! He has a minor role in this chapter, yes, but I couldn't resist putting him in. Later on we may see more of the little guy.

Disclaimer: It's not mine. Mmmkay?

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Chapter 3: A Sorcerer's Castle and the Forgotten Past

_Creak! _The door to the mysterious castle slid open as Sora, Donald, and Goofy slowly made their way inside. At first, everything was quiet and dark with not a thing in sight. Not even the slightest noise could be heard from this dark hallway. Because of the mood of this castle, the trio of friends couldn't help but feel somewhat nervous. They slowly paced forward, still a bit shaky.

"M-maybe nobody's here…" Goofy stuttered, continuing to look around with every step he took.

At first glance, the castle DID indeed appear abandoned. Perhaps it was just the darkness and empty hall that made it seem this way. Plus, the narrow hallway was chilly as well. Again, the only noise that could be heard was the sound of footsteps from the oversized dog and duck and their spiky haired companion.

After a bit of walking, a small tinge of light could be seen from a few yards away. It seemed that the place wasn't abandoned after all. At the sight of this glimmer, the three friends charged forward, not looking back. Finally they would be able to get out of this creepy old hall! Farther and farther Sora and his friends went until they spotted a door standing alone. Nothing else could be seen besides it.

"That's weird," Sora said quietly. "There's no walls or anything. Just this floor."

So, they had been walking on a solid path with no walls? How was that even possible? On the outside, the castle looked perfectly normal, walls, windows, and everything else you'd expect. Why was it that the entrance hall was any different? Well, whatever the reason, it was best to just ignore it. Speculation wouldn't get Sora and his two buds anywhere, right? So, without another word, the fifteen year old grabbed onto the handle of the wooden door and gave it a nice turn.

_CREAK! _As the door opened, it revealed something very, very strange. In the room said door revealed there were brooms marching back and forth with buckets in their… hands. Yes, these brooms had arms and hands, and they could even walk! If that wasn't enough to baffle someone, there was also a strange melody being carried throughout the room, while an unseen light illuminated the area. What contrast there was between this place and the hall!

Nervously, Sora made his way into this bizarre room with Donald and Goofy right behind him. Strangely enough, when the three were safely inside the room, the door behind them vanished, leaving them stuck, for now. Several of the brooms were now knocking into the trio, due to the fact that they acted on magic and didn't pay any attention to the visitors. One in particular ended up tripping and spilling its water on Donald, sending the duck into an angry fit.

"HEY!" squawked the duck angrily. "Just what's the big idea!"

The broom didn't say a word, as it could not speak. Instead, it simply picked up its bucket and continued to pace forward. All the brooms behind it did the same. Still ticked, the duck faced his friends while pointing a finger at the walking brooms, but the only response he received was a bit of teasing and laughter.

"Geez, Donald," Goofy chuckled, "I don't think those brooms can hear ya."

"Very decisive."

From the top of a balcony stood a man dressed in a blue robe. Atop his head was a tall, pointy hat with star shapes decorating it. He had a long, brown beard, and in his eyes was a serious look. His eyes were focused on Sora, Donald, and Goofy, and a slight smile could be seen on his face.

"I see that you have arrived," continued the sorcerer, waving his hands to halt the brooms. "Your King has informed me of your past endeavors. Very impressive, I must say. However, it seems that your journey has only begun."

Immediately, the trio tilted their heads upwards in order to see the master of the castle. To Sora, he looked a lot like Merlin. As for Donald and his goofy partner, they knew much more of this man. His name was Yen Sid, and he was a very skilled sorcerer. HE had quite the connection with King Mickey. In fact, at one time said mouse had been his apprentice. Of course, that was quite some time ago.

Anyway, Yen Sid's words gave Sora a sinking feeling in his gut. Here he had wanted to find his friend and go back to the island, but now he found that such a goal may have to wait. But, that was somewhat expected by the boy. After all, the stranger in black, his dreams, and everything else seemed to point out that his adventure was far from over.

"Wait!" Sora exclaimed. "What do you mean my journey has only begun?"

"It's quite simple, Sora," replied the master magician. "Did you not see a mysterious man in black earlier with a small army of white creatures?"

Wait a minute. Had the sorcerer just mentioned the same cloaked figure and dusks that Sora and his comrades had faced just earlier today? It seemed like the logical answer, but… how did he know? Something wasn't right about this guy…

"Y-yes…" muttered the Keybearer, stroking his spiky locks. "He was carrying some sort of gun, and sent the white things at my friends and I. But, you know, he seemed familiar… but I just don't know why."

"Ah yes, that would be one of the remaining members of Organization XIII. As for why he seemed so familiar, it's a very long story. One that you will have to uncover as you advance forth on your quest. I will tell you one thing, however: you woke up in Twilight Town for a reason. A while back, you and your friends lost a piece of your memories due to a restoration process."

Losing memories due to a RESTORATION process? How the heck did that work? If something was getting restored, why on earth would it be lost? One thing was for sure about this Yen Sid fellow, at least in Sora's mind, and that was that he was sure puzzling. Couldn't he just speak without leaving stuff in the mist?

"Wait a minute," Sora objected. "How could I lose memories by having them restored? And, what's Organization XIII?"

"The answer to your first question will come to you in due time, my boy," answered Yen Sid, keeping a calm expression. "But, I can and will tell you about Organization XIII. You see, the members of this organization are beings called nobodies. In other words, they are incomplete people seeking to be whole. The smaller white creatures are also nobodies, though much weaker.

Nobodies are created when one becomes a heartless. The body and soul of the person whose heart erodes with darkness take their own form and lives on their own as an independent creature. Those with the strongest hearts retain their human form. Said nobodies are the Organization members."

So, these nobodies were the remains of people who have changed into heartless… and they wanted to be complete? That made sense, sorta. The question that lingered in Sora's mind, though, was what did this Organization plan to be complete, and what lengths they would go to achieve their goal. Luckily, it seemed that this Yen Sid would be able to answer all his questions. But, for a moment, the spiky haired Keybearer looked back at his two companions, who appeared to be silent and still.

"Um… guys?" he whispered, only to get weird stares from the large fowl and canine.

"Shh!" Donald growled. "This is master Yen Sid! You have to respect him!"

Sora's response to his fowl friend was a simple shrug accompanied by a sigh. How was he supposed to know about this man's status when this was his first visit to the castle? The least Donald could do was be a little less aggressive with his response. Nonetheless, it seemed that this sorcerer had some reputation, and he seemed to know a lot too. Maybe HE could explain Sora's Roxas dream that he had!

"Umm, excuse me," whispered the fifteen year old. "But, I was wondering if you could explain something. You see, on the way here, I fainted all of the sudden, but while I was out, I had this weird dream about someone named Roxas. It seemed so… real. TOO real to be just a dream."

At first Yen Sid remained silent. Perhaps he was in deep thought. Either way, poor, eager Sora was becoming impatient, and he was even being a tad fidgety. Something deep inside was just telling him over and over that his dream was incredibly important. Luckily, though, the sorcerer finally budged from his position and prepared to answer his question, but… it wasn't exactly the answer Sora had been hoping for.

"Your dream has more meaning than you think," explained the magical man. "As for what that meaning is, you will have to uncover that on your own."

KERSPLAT! There went any hopes of a true explanation. Ok, he said that the dream had meaning, but WHAT? Sora had hoped for at LEAST a bit of info on Roxas and why he had the dream. On the other hand, at least this was proof that the dream wasn't just something of Sora's imagination. That was a plus, for sure. It was still a shame that the master magician hadn't explained at least a LITTLE more, though.

After his little explanation had been completed, Yen Sid finally made his way down from the balcony. With each step, it seemed that the floor lit up. Once again a strange melody played until the sorcerer had gotten down to the floor below. All at once, Donald and Goofy got down on their knees. Sora, on the other hand stayed in his place, since he still did not know much of the man and his rep. Of course, due to his 'lack of respect', the boy got even MORE weird glares, at least, from Donald.

Upon seeing the oversized bird's angry looking visage, the Keybearer decided it was best to do as his two friends were doing and bow. Besides, Donald the hothead had already been ticked off enough times for today. The unusual thing, though, was that either way, Yen Sid didn't seem to care. But still, if he had to show some respect for the man dressed in blue, Sora would do so.

"Now that I have given an explanation," continued the sorcerer, "I think it is about time you three headed out. I have already prepared a Gummi Ship for you, by your King's request. Just remember no matter how grim and dark things may seem, there is always a greater light within."

With that said and done, Yen Sid motioned the trio to follow him up to the top of the balcony. No objections were made, either, as Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves marching behind the master of magic. Just as before, the strange melody played whenever Yen Sid took a step, and the ground flashed beneath his feet. The only one to look back was Sora, who noticed that as they went upwards, the brooms had gone back to their mindless march with their water buckets.

The walk to the top of the balcony was over rather quick. Then again, it wasn't very high up in the first place. Even when Sora and company had safely reached the top, though, their walk wasn't over. Nope, it had seemed that master Yen Sid was planning on leading the threesome into the next room, which probably meant having to venture into yet another dark hallway.

_SWOOSH! _Simply by flicking his wrist, Yen Sid had opened the door to the second hallway with little effort. Unlike the previous hall, this one was actually lit, though it still appeared to lack any foundation. Instead, the surrounding area was simply made up of a colorful aura that never ended. The ground itself twisted and turned in many directions, making the walk a wild ride of sorts. For the master of the castle, this was nothing major, but the three heroes who were not quite used to the place seemed to be rather dizzy as they turned every few steps.

_I don't get how someone could live in a place like this, _Sora thought to himself. _It's so… twisty…_

Unknown to the spiky haired teenager, the look on his own face was that of someone who looked like they were about to barf. The way he was trotting also made him appear to be somewhat sick with dizziness. Being the more concerned of Sora's friends, Goofy caught the fifteen year old looking woozy and immediately questioned him.

"Somethin' wrong, Sora?" asked Sora's goofy companion.

"It's nothing, really," groaned Sora in response.

"If you say so…"

For the next few minutes, that was the last thing said. Yen Sid remained silent as a mouse, as he was intent on leading Sora and his friends to the Gummi Ship. Then there was Sora himself, who was not only woozy, but also caught up in his own thoughts. Lastly, Donald and Goofy just didn't have much to say at the moment, and they wanted to give Yen Sid an overdose of respect, as usual. So, all in all, the walk through the hall was a rather slow and quiet one.

Around five minutes or so passed until the group had finally reached the next room. This time, instead of being a whimsical place with dancing brooms and a strange melody, this room was rather bland. There was simply room for Gummi ships to pass and go, but other than that, it had appeared that the room had no other purpose. The walls seemed to have torn up wallpaper that was worn from age and a few small machines lining them.

Yen Sid led the trio into the center of the room before he stopped. Slowly, the sorcerer reached for the door of the Gummi ship and pulled it open. It was now obvious that the Keybearer and his anthromorphic friends would soon be departing from this world and off towards the next one.

"Here is your ship," explained the magical master of the castle. "Now, as you journey, you will find that even with the worlds spread apart, their bonds remain ever strong. Good luck on your adventure."

Well, now it appeared that Sora, Donald, and Goofy would finally be departing from this bizarre world and truly beginning their journey. Yen Sid had helped greatly, for sure, even if he hadn't fully explained everything. Now the threesome knew all about Organization XIII, and due to this, they would be fully aware while battling the heartless and any other enemies. Sure, a few things were unclear, but eventually those holes would fill in too, right?

Anyway, with their new Gummi Ship ready, Sora, Donald, and Goofy prepared to depart. Before doing so, though, they gave their final farewells to the sorcerer.

"See ya, master Yen Sid! A-hyuck!" giggled Goofy, waving with glee.

"Yeah! Thanks for the help!" added Sora with a smirk.

"Goodbye!" quacked the poultry mage known as Donald. "Sorry about Sora!"

With their final farewells said, Sora and company prepared to depart from the castle. _SLAM!_ The Gummi ship door was shut immediately, while the engines were revved up. In just a matter of moments, the ship was ready to shoot off through space. On the inside, this Gummi was far more advanced than the ship that had been used on the Keybearer's last adventure. Not only was it larger in size, but the whole décor and technology was far more spiffy. Truly it would prove to be much more maneuverable than the last Gummi as well. Then again, there was only one way to find out…

_CRINK!_ Without much hesitation, Donald began to pull some levers in the cockpit, while Goofy handled a few buttons. This ship was going to be blasting off in just a few seconds! While the poultry mage and dorky canine worked on starting up the engines, Sora sat in the driver's position. Even though he was only fifteen, he had learned how to steer the Gummi ship quite well, meaning that his two friends didn't have much to fret about as far as a safe ride went. Now, once all the buttons and other stuff had been attended to, the ship itself had begun to lift itself off of the ground. Yen Sid had already prepared an exit, so the Gummi wouldn't end up crashing into any walls.

So, now that everything was taken care of, it was time for the vehicle to zoom off! _VROOM! _The engines were revving up, as the ship started to move forward. At first the pace was somewhat slow, but as soon as it reached the exit, the bloody machine began to accelerate almost as fast as you could say Organization XIII. Soon, the Gummi was well out of the launch room and leaving Yen Sid's castle in its tracks. As the ship became a measly speck in the sky, the sorcerer himself wore a slightly maniacal grin.

"Fools."

**_XxXxXxXxxXXxxXxxxxXXxxXxXxXxXxX_**

Riku slowly made his way through the strange city, not even caring about the rain pouring down onto his dark cloak. His hair was now a soggy mess, with his bangs sticking to his skin, while the cloak he wore had grown damp and heavy. Right now none of that mattered, though. The important thing to the sixteen year old right now was finding a certain tavern in the middle of this bizarre place.

Due to the rainstorm, it was incredibly difficult for Riku to see where he was going. The surrounding buildings simply appeared as blurs of sorts with only their dim lights standing out through the countless droplets of rain. On the plus side, however, there did not seem to be much excitement going on right now, which meant that he could find this place with little trouble. At least, that's what the silver haired teen was hoping. For all he knew, though, such hopes were, well… hopeless, since in a dark and gritty town, who knows what kind of creeps could show their faces?

Brushing the bangs out of his face, Riku could faintly see a small building in the distance. There was some sort of sign lit up at the top, but it was very hard to see from first glance. With a slight sigh, he decided to squint while staring up at the sign. It read like so…

**_The Golden Chocobo: Open 24 hours_**

Carefully, Riku pulled out a slip of paper. On it was a note telling him to come to… the Golden Chocobo! So, this WAS the place. What a relief. After walking out in the middle of a storm for so gosh darn long, the silver haired teen could FINALLY get to his important business. So, tucking the paper back into his cloak, Riku ambled towards the Golden Chocobo, hoping to get things over with as quick as possible. However, he did not expect to be greeted by a certain talking cat known as Cait Sith.

"Hey, you!" hollered an obnoxious voice from inside the door of the tavern.

Riku stopped dead in his tracks. Right when he was about to hurry up with something incredibly quick and simple, some weirdo had to stop him. Heaving a heavy sigh, he turned around and faced the stranger. To his surprise, he was standing before a strange black cat who was wearing a crown upon his head, a red cape, and a pair of boots and gloves. If that wasn't strange enough, this cat was planted atop a huge pink plush moogle.

"What do you want?" Riku groaned, slowly trying to slip past the feline.

"Well," replied the cat, "I just noticed you around town and figured that perhaps you would like your fortune told? After all, strapping young boys like you could always use some knowledge of the future! Whoo!"

"Umm… no thanks."

Quickly, Riku tried to avoid Cait Sith and make his way farther into the tavern. Unfortunately, the talking feline wouldn't give up that easily. He was determined to con Riku into some cash while delivering his fortune telling 'skills'. It had worked with other people, so why not try it one just another kid?

"Wait, you don't know what you're missing!" shouted Cait Sith, forcing his Moogle mount to scamper behind Riku. "Don't you want to know if you get that girl of your dreams, or maybe that sexy car? Please! Just give me a chance!"

Great… this guy wouldn't give up, would he? At the moment, he was getting on Riku's nerves. Fortunes were the least of his cares right now, and no cheapskate feline would change that. On the other hand, Cait Sith didn't appear to be leaving the sixteen year old alone. What a predicament.

"Alright already!" snarled Riku with annoyance. "If you can tell the future, tell me… when will you SHUT UP!"

"Uh… I don't believe that counts… H-HEY!"

Riku's snappy statement had been the perfect way to sneak on past the pesky little cat and his giant plush toy. Immediately after he had said the little insult, the teen had rushed off into the main area of the tavern, leaving poor Cait Sith to wait for another person to annoy. That wasn't any of Riku's concern, though, since he had come to the Golden Chocobo for a reason. And, now that he was in the main area, he just had to wait for a certain acquaintance of his.

During the moment that Riku stood alone in the Golden Chocobo, he received many strange looks from the people near by. Were his looks really that strange? Sure dark skin and pure yellow eyes aren't exactly common, but, that had to be nothing compared to an obnoxious talking feline! On the other hand, in his current state, Riku DID appear to look a tad evil. The black cloak didn't help, either.

_Maybe taking the hood off wasn't such a good idea, _he thought to himself. _Oh well…_

Suddenly, a sound of footsteps could be heard from behind the silver haired sixteen year old. Whoever it was, they were hopefully not that idiotic cat again. The little pest was already hard enough to deal with once, and Riku sure didn't want to bump into him a second time. Luckily for the arrogant teenager, it was not Cait Sith, but instead, the very being he had been hoping to see.

"Riku?" squeaked a high pitched voice.

_Finally…_

Quickly, Riku turned to face the one who had spoken to him. Of course, it was King Mickey, who hadn't changed a bit since the last time the two had met. He still had that cheerful smile, huge, round ears, and all the other stuff that made the mouse king stand out, but instead of wearing his typical clothes, the mouse was covered in a black cloak almost identical to Riku's, just… at a smaller scale.

"I was wondering when you were going to get here," sighed the sixteen year old. "Anyway, how is Sora?"

Mickey's first response was that of a high pitched giggle. Plainly, the king was never one to be in a bad mood unless things truly were terrible. Instead, he was always there to brighten spirits and all that happy stuff you'd expect from such a character.

"Sora's doing just fine," replied the oversized mouse. "I informed my former master Yen Sid about him, so pretty soon he should be heading off on his journey again."

"What about his nobody?"

"Hmm. Well, I don't know," said the king with a shrug. "But, I don't think it really matters too much. Knowing Sora, he should be just fine on his own."

"Alright. So, is there anything else you wanted to tell me?"

The King said nothing, but instead he reached into his cloak to grab something. In his hand was a note. Instantly, the mouse handed the note over to Riku, who looked it over in confusion.

_Elituf si ti _

_Sruo eb lliw straeh modgnik_

_Straeh sesealer edalbyek eht_

_Sseltraeh syals ti emit yreve_

_Su gnipleh ylno era saxor dna aros_

_Pu evig_

_- XIII noitazinagro_

"It looks like gibberish to me…" Riku said, scratching his head. "Thanks, though. I just wonder what it means."

"It shouldn't be too hard to find out, Riku," replied the mouse king. "You just have to look at the note from a different direction. Anyway, I'd better get going."

Riku quietly nodded towards Mickey, as the mouse scampered off to who-knows-where. His appearance may have been short, but at least he had brought good news, as far as Sora went, and of course, the strange note. The King had mentioned reading the note in a different direction or something. But, what exactly was that supposed to mean?

**_Elsewhere_**

_**xXxxXxxxxXxXxXxxXxxxxXXXxXXxX**_

"_Ok, so maybe the kid wasn't THAT big of a dud, but, still. I've seen better Keybearers."_

Back in the World that Never was, the remaining Organization XIII members were having yet another meeting. By now, Xigbar had returned with the results of his little 'test' that he had done to Sora back in Twilight town. Plainly, Sora had exceeded expectations for Xigbar as far as fighting skills went; but still, the free shooter wasn't swayed yet.

"_Well, does it matter?" _replied Xemnas, crossing his arms. "_The boy wields a keyblade, and as long as he does, he will be able to help us build Kingdom Hearts. The same thing can be said for Roxas."  
_

_ "Yeah, well, we should still be careful. I say that we have a bit of fun with our traitor, anyway.   
_

"Fun with the traitor". Just what was Xigbar plotting now? Hadn't he had enough 'fun' with Sora? Then again, the Organization was very deeply involved with their goal, and simple tests were always good. Xiggy's suggestion did seem to be decent enough in Xemnas' eyes, though, as the Superior found himself glaring at one of the younger members, one who was mainly disliked: Demyx.

_"Very well, Xigbar. But, you mustn't forget that the reason why Roxas was even recruited was because of his strength," _explained Xemnas, keeping a calm tone of voice. _"If we are going to mess with the traitor, we should send someone… unimportant. Right, Demyx?   
_

Demyx always WAS chosen to carry out tasks that were too risky for the other members. This was mostly because there was no sympathy in the Organization, and pests like Demyx were the best to put at stake. If he had the gut to stand up for himself, the Melodious Nocturne may have become a traitor too, but the fact is: he was a coward.

_"What!" _squeaked the music obsessed nobody. _"Why do I have to mess with the kid? Send Saix! He's a party pooper, anyway!"   
_

_"You'd best do what your _ _Superior__ commands, kiddo," _sneered Xigbar in response to Demyx's little objection.

_"Um… yes, sir…"_

End of Chapter

-------------------------------------------------

**AN: **Hooray for more cliffies. XD And, if you didn't guess, the note is written backwards. Riku will figure that out soon, but not right after he reads it, sillies! Now, for my next chapter, I think I'll have fun with Roxas instead of Riku. The little blondey needs some action too!

Next chappy in KHII: DD: As Sora and the gang travel through space, they find that getting from world to world won't be as easy as it was the first time around. But, before they can truly start an adventure, they must first take a pit stop at Disney Castle, where they gat all their cool traveling stuff. And FINALLY Sora gets his new get up. But, as they leave the castle, a horrible chain reaction occurs, sending them into a world that is black and white. Meanwhile, Roxas has found himself in the middle of yet another random world: this time, we see him in the Underworld. -creepy music plays-

So, yeah. I have um… different plans for Timeless River. Anyway, hope ya enjoyed this chappy! And, don't forget to press the purple button!


	5. Chain Reaction

Well, here's Chapter 4… finally. Sorry about the long wait, but I was having a bit of Writer's block. Anyway, in this Chapter, we have both Sora AND Roxas stuff, but it switches every few paragraphs/pages. Now, for the Roxas in the Underworld, my friend planned the scenario, and I just wrote it out. Basically, Hades tries to use him, but he refuses, and what happens after that will be in Chapter 5. Also, the scene with Demyx and the weird beast nobody does NOT occur in the Underworld, but in the place where Roxas fights Twilight Thorn in the actual KH2. As for my random nobody beast's name… maybe I'll call it Leviathan. Anywho, not my best chap, but at the same time, not my worst. It's the least like anything in the actual KH2, though, which is GOOD, since I want this to stand out a little. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the main plot idea, and the Leviathan nobody.

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Chapter 4: Chain Reaction

By now the Gummi Ship was far from Twilight Town and Yen Sid's castle. Instead, said vehicle was now blasting through space. From outside the windows, the light from many stars could be seen as well as distant worlds. Meanwhile, on the inside of the ship, Sora was continuing to pilot it, while Donald and Goofy simply sat in the two seats next to him, keeping an eye out for any nearby worlds.

"So, how long do you think it will take us to find Hollow Bastion?" groaned Sora, still pondering about his dream. "I want to stop there as soon as possible, since Leon and the gang might know more about Roxas."

Great, there he went again, rambling about this Roxas. Both the duck magician and his dopey dog partner simply shrugged. They had promised Sora that they'd stick with him when it came to this dream, but, did he have to talk about it constantly? Then again, the two had never experienced any weird, vivid dreams like his, so who was to blame the spiky haired teen?

"Gee, Sora, maybe we shouldn't rush things," said Goofy, scratching his head.

"Goofy's right," agreed the magical fowl known as Donald. "We should focus on defeating the heartless and that Organization Yen Sid mentioned."

With a shrug, Sora decided that his friends were right. Besides, he would get to Hollow Bastion eventually, right? That and his dream wasn't necessarily a priority one deal. From Yen Sid's description, the Organization seemed to be the major problem. Whoever they were, one thing was certain, and that was: Sora didn't like the looks of them.

For the rest of the ride, Sora did not say a thing. To him, it was best to keep any dream thoughts to himself until he and his pals reached Hollow Bastion. THEN maybe he could get some answers besides a "you have to uncover this on your own", or whatever. Anyway, no worlds seemed to be coming into view quiet yet, which left things rather desolate for a while, spare a few asteroids and stars in the distance.

It seemed that any hopes of finding a nearby world were lost, ya? Perhaps Yen Sid was wrong about them all still being connected to each other. At this rate, that actually made sense. But then, when hope was beginning to grow thin in the minds of Sora and his two cartoony pals, something new showed up on the Gummi Ship's radar. Could it have been… a world? At the site of this foreign object, Sora immediately took a look outside the window and there he saw… something weird floating in the distance.

"Hey, what's that?" questioned the Keybearer in utmost curiosity. "It looks like… a castle… but not like the one we were just in. This one looks kinda white."

From the moment Sora had uttered "This one looks kinda white," the poultry mage and his canine partner knew exactly where the Gummi was headed. Just to be sure, though, the two also took a peek at the cockpit window, and not too surprisingly, they saw a large, white castle surrounded by a courtyard covered in vibrant green grass and nicely cut hedges. Now, this was indeed a new world, but not just any. This was Disney Castle, the home world for Donald and Goofy, along with King Mickey! There was only one problem… some weird portal thing was blocking the world entrance.

_**XXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxx**_

**_Somewhere…_**

Darkness seemed to flood in all directions. There was not a single glimmer of light… well, wherever Roxas had found himself. Not even a single whisper or breeze could be heard in this strange place, and the only company the nobody could find was the darkness itself. But, the question was: Where was he? The last thing that he remembered was leaving Hollow Bastion, yet, he was now in some empty dark place?

_Click. Click._

Scattering to his feet, Roxas gave a pause. Maybe he WASN'T alone after all. But, as he looked around, he still found nothing. Because of this, the former member of Organization XIII simply assumed that his mind had been playing tricks on him. Never the less, the fifteen year old would need to find a way out of here.

_Click. Click. Click!_

There was that clicking sound again. Now Roxas was certain that there was… something else in the darkness. Whatever it was, it definitely didn't seem all too friendly either, since it still hadn't shown itself. In all this darkness, it was very likely that a heartless or something would hide. The mindless creatures DID fit into the darkness very well, due to their blackened exteriors. But, then again, it could very well be, and was more likely, something else.

_Click. Click. Click. Click. Clickity. Click!_

Great, there was that blasted clicking sound again, only… this time, it sounded much, much closer. Was Roxas being followed? Just the thought of that made the nobody feel a bit uneasy. Here, in the dark, he was the perfect target, since the only thing he could use to defend himself was his keyblade. There was nothing to hide behind, no objects to use as a shield. Just… infinite blackness.

_Click. Click. Click._

At last, the clicking had stopped. Once again, the dark abyss was silent. Giving a quiet sigh, Roxas paced around, just to see if anything had changed. The only problem was, it was too dark to see anything. Still, the blondey gave a nice attempt to find the source of the racket, but he sure was clueless to the dork standing beside him.

"_I found yoooooou, traitor!" _squeaked the voice of someone who didn't even seem much older than Roxas himself.

Ok, so Roxas was indeed being followed. But, by the sound of his pursuer's voice, they sure didn't sound very threatening. Heck, whoever this person was, their attempt at sounding scary had only made them appear wimpy. Yet, there was something about that voice that rang a bell in Roxas' mind.

"Who's there?" questioned the nobody of Sora.

"_Yoooooou don't remember?" _cooed the mysterious, though dork-like, voice. "_Well, do the words 'Organization XIII' ring any bells?"_

Of course! Now things were starting to make sense. This weirdo was a member of the Organization. No wonder he had called Roxas a traitor. With that little bit of info in mind, the dual wielding Keybearer began to head in the direction of the voice. The voice itself belonged to probably the most despised member in the whole Organization: Demyx, the Melodious Nocturne. It made sense that they'd send Demyx, though, since he didn't mean much to the other members. If he were to be destroyed, it was no skin off their backs, for sure.

"You know," groaned Roxas, still making his way towards Demyx, "you're not very impressive."

"_Yeah, well, at least I'm not a traitor!" _gawked the music obsessed nobody in response. "_Besides, everyone loves me!"_

Roxas didn't respond that time. It was clear that Demyx was, well, to moronic to see that the Org actually despised his very existence. Why else would they have sent him to deal with one of the most powerful members? Anyway, Roxas did not have to walk very far until he bumped RIGHT into Demyx's gut. The stupid darkness had made it impossible to see, so who was to blame him?

"_Gah…" _growled the not so intimidating Org member. "_I knew that this darkness was pointless!"_

Quickly, the music head gave Roxas a shove backwards. After that was taken care of, he reached his arm into the hair. Of course, Roxas was unable to see any of that, due to the darkness, but that's beside the point. Anyway, with a quick snap of his fingers, the darkness began to wear away, revealing a large platform that seemed to be made of glass. Surrounding said platform was just more blackness in the distance, but at least it was possible to see now.

Roxas quickly got back to his feet, now that he could actually see his surroundings. Somehow, this floating platform in the darkness seemed eerie, but familiar. Out of curiosity, he looked down, only to find that the platform was decorated with images of Sora and his friends. Something wasn't right about this place. It almost was like… something from Sora's memories. As Roxas continued to examine this weird area, Demyx seemed to be growing rather impatient. Here he had been sent to have some 'fun' with the traitor, but said nobody was too busy examining a platform made of stained glass.

"_Can you hurry up already?" _groaned the not-so-popular member of the Org. "_I'm kinda supposed to… have 'fun' with you."_

When Roxas turned his attention back to Demyx, he noticed that he was holding his sitar at the ready. The mullet headed dork said that he was supposed to have 'fun' with him, but that obviously meant fighting. Great… just what Roxas needed: more fighting. He already had taken on a small swarm of heartless back in Hollow Bastion, and now he'd have to fight one of his former acquaintances? Even though that wasn't necessarily what he was looking forward to, Roxas summoned his two keyblades and prepared for whatever Demyx was about to dish up.

The expression on Demyx's face immediately changed into a playful smirk. Finally his adversary was ready for some action. Of course, being a bit of a coward, he wouldn't be the one to take on Roxas. Instead, the Melodious Nocturne had something DIFFERENT prepared. Slowly, Demyx played a haunting melody on his sitar, and the ground began to shake. Instantly, two large, clawed hands gripped at the edge of the platform. A large head then became visible, baring large fangs and empty, emotionless eyes. An emblem could be seen on the beast's forehead that looked like a splintered heart. As the beast dragged the rest of its body onto the platform, more details became visible, such as a large fin-like spike on the creature's back, and two hind legs. Whatever this strange nobody was, it sure didn't look pleasant.

"_I sure am looking forward to this!" _Demyx snickered, backing away from Roxas. "_Xemnas may have sent me to deal with you, but that doesn't mean I have to do any of the actual fighting!"_

_**XXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxx**_

Sora, Donald, and Goofy stared at the large swirling vortex blocking entry into the castle. From the look of the portal, it didn't seem necessarily DANGEROUS, but looks could always end up being deceiving. Either way, the going through the portal was beginning to seem like the only way to enter Disney Castle at this point. Whatever was inside the vortex didn't matter at this rate.

Sora's arm was already reaching for the controls. He really was going to enter the glowing blue mass of swirling energy. Both of his partners were also preparing to take on whatever lied beyond the strange gateway. All in all, the trio knew what was coming next. _BEEP. _The necessary buttons had been pressed, and levers pulled, and now the Gummi was charging towards the strange portal. Whatever lied waiting on the inside would have to be dealt with no matter what. And so, the Keybearing hero and his two pals entered this gateway.

At first, things seemed rather empty; spare an assortment of swirling colors. No heartless ships or anything showed up, at least not until the ship had made it deeper inside the gate. Once the Gummi had passed all the bright colors, things changed. Instead of an empty void, strange objects and ships could be seen in the distance. Immediately, Sora began to fire at the enemy ships, blasting them out of the way, while steering through a few ring-like structures. As the ship progressed forward, even more enemy ships appeared, this time firing more powerful attacks.

_CHINK! _The Gummi was hit by a missile from one of the heartless ships, but it wasn't down quite yet. Instead, the vehicle was maneuvered around the little pests and simply fired back a few times. Once those enemy ships were taken care of, the Gummi took a nose dive through yet another ring and ended up on what appeared to be similar to a road of sorts. There some car-like ships were found dropping some bombs. To avoid being blown up, Sora and his pals had to pilot the ship with haste while shooting and dodging attacks.

Bomb after bomb exploded, each one nearly denting the Gummi, if not anything worse. Luckily, Sora had some experience when it came to piloting the ship, or he'd be TOAST! The road behind the ship had already been blasted into bits, after all. Ahead of the road, there wasn't much. Disney Castle was already showing up in the distance. The only thing blocking the castle itself was another small assortment of heartless ships. It wasn't like they were any stronger than the rest of the enemies, though.

_VOOM! _The small little ships tried to fire rapidly at the Gummi, but only a few attempts at attacks actually hit. However, the small bits of damage weren't anything to complain about, since this ship was far more powerful than the one used on the previous mission. All that it took to wipe out the last little pests was a nice big blast, and then, the pathway was clear. Because of this, the pace of the Gummi declined as it was readied for a landing in Disney Castle.

_**XXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxx**_

The Large nobody that stood before Roxas appeared incredibly vicious and dangerous. It stood at a height just barely smaller than a behemoth heartless, and its build had nearly as much muscle. Its feet were clawed, but at the same time they had a somewhat webbed look to them. On the beast's back was a large spike that resembled that of a shark fin, and inside its mouth were several knife-like teeth. All in all, this wasn't your simple dusk.

Just looking at this monstrosity made Roxas second guess his fighting strategy. He had expected to fight Demyx, not some hideous lizard/shark/demonic thing! Sure, Sora had fought much worse beasts than this, but his nobody wasn't as used to these situations. Then again, if he could fend of dusks without remembering how to use the keyblade, maybe the same thing could be said when it came to going up against… well, whatever the heck this nobody was.

While Roxas just stood there, the beast-like nobody was beginning to movie out of its idle position. With each step the creature took, the ground rumbled vigorously. Its mouth was now open, revealing even more incredibly sharp teeth ready to gnash at its foe. Claws scrapped against the stained glass floor. Even the mighty fiend's whip-like tail showed that this creature was preparing to strike. If Roxas were to just stand there, he'd surely become victim to a painful onslaught of attacks.

Roxas quickly thought over a method for fighting this cretin. Simply charging head on would probably lead to a mauling of sorts, so that wasn't a good approach. The beast didn't appear to be very fast, so there was a speed advantage, but its size and strength could be problematic for him. As far as intelligence went, this thing didn't look very bright, so maybe confusing it would be a nice trick. After all, dusks were easily confused as well. With that thought in mind, the blondey quickly began to dart around the monstrous being.

As he ran, the fiendish creature tried to lash out with its claws. It actually had managed to hit Roxas in the leg, making him hit the ground. Luckily, before the beast could sink its teeth into his gut, the dual wielding Keybearer managed to roll out of reach and get back to his feet. Without looking back, he managed to circle around the large nobody a few times, causing it to twist up into an odd shape, due to confusion. Now was the time for Roxas to strike! _WHAM!_ Both Oblivion and Oathkeeper hit smack dab on the face of the beast a few times, causing it to roar in pain. After about five hits, Roxas backed off, in order to avoid a mauling and started his tactic all over again.

This time, however, the large nobody began to attack in a different way than it had earlier. Instead of taking a physical approach, it shot strange bubbles out of its mouth. Because he hadn't expected this, the Roxas was hit by each of the bubbles, causing him to fall over once again, due to the pressure of the attack. With Roxas down, the fiend gave a giant leap into the air, pounding the ground with all its strength. The whole platform shook as an enormous shock wave was carried across the surface. Pain surged through the fifteen year old's body, thanks to the beast's assaults. The pain didn't stop him from fighting, though.

Once the pain had died down enough, Roxas hopped back to his feet and continued to circle his enemy. Whenever it tried to shoot more bubbles, he would simply dodge roll to get out of range. After the beast was confused once more, Roxas gave another dive towards the head and began whacking it like crazy once more. It was plain to see that the weird beast was beginning to weaken. From the looks of things, one more set of attacks would finish the thing off.

Even in its attack style, weakness was showing in the oversized nobody. Its pace was now much slower, and it had stopped shooting those exploding bubbles. Still, the stubborn beast wouldn't give up the slashing with its claws, and now it was beginning to spin in circles in an attempt to trip Roxas with its tail. Unfortunately for the fiendish nobody, Roxas was smart enough to dodge the tail and continue his confusion tactic at the same time. For the third and final time, the fiend would become confused.

_KAWHAM! _Using both keyblades, Roxas gave the creature the final blow! Instantly, it let out a final roar before its very body began to deteriorate into water itself, leaving a massive puddle on the glass platform. With the fiendish nobody out of the way, Roxas had half expected to see Demyx, but the Melodious Nocturne was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, he had fled during the little rumble. That wasn't the only thing that had vanished, though. Along with Demyx, the stained glass floor had disappeared too, and Roxas found himself standing in the abyss with only a strange door in sight.

Unlike earlier, the abyss wasn't pitch black, but there was still an eerie darkness everywhere, spare the door and Roxas himself. There wasn't really anywhere else to go besides the door, and it's not like it would lead to anywhere dangerous, right? That logic was the reason why Roxas was heading towards the door, unaware of what lurked inside.

**_XXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxx_**

By now the Gummi ship had safely landed in the hanger at Disney castle. Chip and Dale, the Gummi engineer chipmunks, were busy fixing any damage on the ship, while Sora, Donald, and Goofy were now heading out to the courtyard. The courtyard itself was a calm and pleasant place. From the cool, green grass to the nicely trimmed hedges, everything looked as if it were just… perfect for such a peaceful place.

While Donald and Goofy were perfectly used to their home world, Sora was amazed by the sights and sounds that surrounded him. Yes, Disney Castle was a marvelous place, but the courtyard was nothing compared to what was inside.

"So, this is your home?" asked Sora, still staring wide-eyed at the courtyard.

"Ah ha," replied Donald with a friendly nod.

It wasn't really surprising that Donald and Goofy lived in such a magnificent place. After all, they were servants for a king, and king's usually lived in pleasant places, unless they were the dark types. Plus, Queen Minnie and Daisy were always sure to keep the outdoor gardens in the courtyard nice and clean.

After a short walk, the trio finally reached the castle gates. For a moment, Sora stood still, while his two companions headed inside first. Once he got the all clear, though, the Keybearer was allowed entry into the Colonnade. This room had a nice, long ruby colored carpet lining the floor, while the walls were made of a light colored stone. Both the poultry mage and the canine defender were simply heading towards the door at the far side of the hall, just relieved to be home. As for Sora, well, he was trotting along behind them, but he still wanted to glance about the place.

"Alright," announced Donald, waving his staff with each step he took. "Queen Minnie is probably in the library. It's just at the end of the hall."

For a moment the duck paused in order to point Sora in the right direction. Quickly, the fifteen year old turned his head away from a large door planted upon on of the walls and towards the end of the hall, where the library entrance could be found. From the looks of it, the library was only a few yards away now. So, deciding that he had done enough 'observing' for now, the spiky haired hero sped up his pace.

Upon entering the library, Donald's suspicions were proved true. There, in the center of the glorious room lined with books and paintings stood a female mouse dressed in a very fancy gown and tiara. Said mouse was indeed the queen of Disney Castle. When she saw Donald and Goofy enter the room, her eyes suddenly burst with joy. Immediately, the two found themselves being glomped by the mouse queen. Still, the duo was filled with pure delight to see their queen, thus they greatly accepted the tight embrace of sorts. In order to get through without disturbing his friends and the queen, Sora had to carefully edge his way around the three oversized animals. As usual, he wore that cocky grin of his, as he watched his two pals being squeezed by the large mouse.

"So, you're Queen Minnie." pondered the Keybearer.

At the sound of Sora's voice, the female mouse curiously turned in the opposite direction. A gentle and sweet smile could be seen on her visage as she examined the teen. One of the first things she noticed about Sora was the fact that his clothes were incredibly tight, which made him look… well, somewhat like a dork.

"Why yes," said Minnie, keeping her pleasant smile. "And you must be Sora. It's great to finally meet you."

So it seemed that Minnie had already heard of the Keybearer. Then again, he HAD saved several worlds, so a good reputation was certain. Quietly, Donald and Goofy ambled over to their friend in outgrown clothes and gave a nice little bow. Such behavior was simple a custom when it came to royalty. Seeing that his friends were being polite, Sora himself quickly got to his knees as well. The response to the respectful behavior was nothing short of a squeaky giggle from the queen.

"You boys don't have to be so formal," exclaimed the mouse queen, still keeping her pleasant expression. "Anyway, what brings you three here? Shouldn't you be out adventuring?"

"Actually, your majesty," replied Sora, scratching his head, "we came to see if any heartless or nobodies were attacking, but I guess you're fine."

Yes, the whole castle seemed calm and quiet at this rate. From the moment the trio had left the Gummi ship, not one sign of Organization XIII or the heartless could be found. Perhaps there wasn't any real need to stop at the castle after all, spare nostalgic feelings for Donald and Goofy. However, Minnie thought differently. It was clear to her that Sora, Donald, and Goofy would need supplies and, in Sora's case, new clothes if they were going to make it on their journey.

"We may be fine, Sora," sighed the queen, "but I think you, Donald, and Goofy should take a moment to get some supplies. Also, you may want to put something on that's… more fitting. Just follow me, and I'll see that you're taken care of."

Motioning Sora to follow her, Minnie quietly exited the room with the Keybearer following slowly behind her. This left Donald and Goofy alone in the library. Of course, they were supposed to be gathering supplies for the voyage throughout the world, and staying in the library sure wouldn't help! So, quickly the duo scuttled out of the library as well.

**_XXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxx _**

**_The Underworl d  
_**

The door had opened to reveal a dark corridor. Darkness loomed in this eerie cavern and a strange, deal feeling swept through the Wherever Roxas had ended up this time, it sure wasn't pretty. In this weird cavern, he could spy two doors and a large staircase leading to high ground, presumably. For minutes, it seemed, Roxas just stood in one place trying to figure out where exactly he was. Though he was physically there, in the Underworld, it seemed that his mind was in a pool of deep thought.

Little did Roxas know, he was being watched by eager eyes. Looming in the darkness of the Underworld was Hades, lord of the dead. Now, the reason why Hades was so interested in the Blondey was because he had just appeared out of nowhere and appeared to be young and innocent. Clearly he would be the perfect 'sucker' to lure into a simple scheme of sorts. After all, how tough would it be to trick a kid, when Hades had once tricked Cloud Strife?

Quietly, the lord of the Underworld made his way towards Roxas, with a maniacal grin on his face. Now was the time to lure another 'sucker' into a nice little deal. And who knows, maybe the 'kid' would be able to slaughter Hercules. All would unfold in due time. Anyway, Hades himself lowered a cold, lifeless hand onto Roxas' shoulder. From the moment the god of the Underworld touched him, the teenager knew something wasn't right.

"You know," whispered Hades, "a squirt like you shouldn't be… moseying around in a place like this."

That voice was oddly familiar to Roxas… thanks to him sharing memories with Sora. The cocky tone and everything could only belong to one being. Someone who had once been an enemy to the Keybearer himself. In other words, Roxas knew that the voice belonged to the one and only Hades. But, what did that flame headed creep want? Whatever it was, it sure didn't seem pleasant.

"Uh… what do you want?" stuttered Roxas, debating whether or not to whip out his Keyblades at that moment.

Hmm. It appeared to Hades that this kid wasn't intimidated by his antics. The same thing could be said for Cloud, and Sora… not to mention Hercules himself. Maybe this kid WOULD prove useful after all. All he needed was a bit of, conforming, and then he'd be just as big of a sucker as anyone else used in soul-sealed deals. Thoughts were now forming in the evil Underworld Lord's mind. Even the flames atop his head were beginning to heat up.

"What do I want?" teased the lord of the dead. "Listen up, short stuff. I have come to make an offer that you cannot refuse, capiche?"

"Try me," scoffed Roxas, still not amused by Hades' little antics.

Right at that moment, Hades gripped Roxas tighter than before, pulling the teen close enough that he could smell the putrid stench emitting from the god's mouth. The Underworld Lord's eyes now burned with an ambition that covered his entire visage. He WOULD use Roxas. And, if he refused, there was always the option of locking him in the deepest chambers of the underworld until he gave in.

"Alright, kid, here's the deal," hissed the undead master. "You help me handle Jerkules, and I'll give you whatever little prissy thing your heart desires. But, if that's not good enough for a spoiled brat like you, I guess I could always… give you a 'time out', but you wouldn't like that, would ya?"

Plainly, Hades was interested in Roxas, mostly due to his lack of fear for the Underworld and anyone in it, not to mention that his sudden appearance was rather strange. After all, it's not every day that someone pops up in the land of the dead who isn't… well, dead. Roxas, on the other hand, wasn't as amused. After Hades' little threat, he simply pulled away from the fiery creep's grip and crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry," mocked the blondey, not looking one bit frightened, "but I'm… 'Not interested'."

Almost instantly, Hades lit up in a fit of rage. His blue skin, along with the flames atop his head changed into a bright, furious red. Here he had made an offer, just to get told off my some bratty kid! Why, this twerp was almost as bad as... well, Sora. In fact, Hades noticed quite a bit of similarities between the two, but had dismissed them as mere coincidence, due to the fact that anger was clouding his mind. This 'kid's' behavior just wouldn't be tolerated, and because of that, the lord of the dead grasped Roxas' arm and began dragging him deep into the chambers of this eerie place.

Oddly enough, the blondey didn't really struggle… much. Wherever Hades was planning on taking him, it wouldn't be pretty, but was that really a big deal? After all, Roxas WAS Sora's nobody, and was equally capable of handling whatever the undead lord tossed at him. Even if being dragged along wasn't very comforting, it was better for him to just wait and see what would happen next.

**_XXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxx _**

**_Disney_****_Castl_****_ e  
_**

Back at the castle, all was well. The necessary provisions had been gathered and packed into the Gummi ship, while the Gummi itself had been fine tuned, so to speak. Chip and Dale, the crazy chipmunks, had added a few new Gummi blocks here and also fixed any damages done during the trip. Meanwhile, Minnie had taken Sora to get new clothes. Instead of the red shorts, white hooded jacket, and huge yellow shoes that the fifteen year old had blatantly outgrown, the Sora now wore a black get up , which still consisted of baggy shorts and a jacket, but this time, there were more details, such as shoulder pads, and two large pockets on the shorts. The Yellow shoes were now replaced with new ones that were a mix of black and that familiar yellow from before. Yes, Sora had been set up with the goods.

At the moment, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were bidding farewell to Queen Minnie and the others. Happy smiles were passed from one another along with any final words. A certain female duck stuck out in the crowd bidding ado in the court yard. Her name was Daisy, and she was Donald's 'special sweet heart'. Currently, she was crushing-er, hugging her boyfriend with immense pressure, refusing to let go. The firmness of the grip was making it quite difficult for Donald to breathe, and all this hugging was serving as a distraction on its own.

"D-Daisy!" coughed the mallard, trying to keep a firm grip on his staff. "We have to go! I promise we can have our date when we get back! Just, let go!"

With a sad expression planted on her face, Daisy decided to release her boyfriend from her clutches. Despite how much joy had filled her being upon seeing her dear Donald, she knew that he had to protect the worlds outside the boundaries of the castle. Instantly, the magical fowl scurried to his feet before making his way back towards Sora and Goofy. Even though he truly cared for Daisy, the duck was quite relieved to be free from the choking grip. Since the poultry mage was free to move about without being glomped, he and his two pals trekked off in the direction of the lone Gummi Hanger to prepare to embark.

Upon entering the ship, Donald took the driver's seat. A flurry of feathers flung about as the oversized bird tried to get in a comforting position. Once he was satisfied, the duck began to start the engines. Little did the magical fowl know, a certain Keybearer wasn't near as content as he. Yes, Sora seemed rather annoyed at his friend's sudden decision to take the wheel from him. After all, what if Donald didn't want to visit Hollow Bastion until the 'important matters' were taken care of? The same thing had happened on the previous adventure, when Sora had longed to find Riku and Kairi, but Donald was busy searching for King Mickey. This is what had propelled Sora to dive towards his duck ally and attempt to shove the large fowl out of the Driver's seat.

Sora's sudden action came to surprise Donald, who was simply beginning to pilot the Gummi. Never once since he sat down had he expected to be nearly mauled by the spiky haired Keybearer. As he was being shoved out of the way, said fowl tried his best to fight his way back towards the seat. Each time Donald made an attempt, though, he found himself pushed down as Sora attempted to plant his butt down. Whenever Sora gripped onto Donald's shoulders, he would find the duck kicking his gut with those large, webbed feet of his. Each attempt Donald made to claim his seat led to the Keybearer squeezing his way back. All in all, this wasn't a pretty site, and neither of the two were even paying attention to the Gummi Ship.

"Waaaaaaaaah!" Donald gawked, as he found himself flung towards the ground. "Just what's the big idea!"

The response the little poultry mage got was nothing short of a sneer from Sora, who then replied by saying "You're the one who took MY spot!"

All this manic mayhem was leading nowhere. The whole inside of the ship seemed to be covered in feathers, while the sounds of yelling, screaming, and other unpleasant noises filled the cockpit. Meanwhile, poor Goofy was left to handle the ship the best he could, while his pals continued their quarrel. Constantly, the large canine would have to duck to avoid being pit in the head by countless objects being knocked around as Sora and Donald jumped from place to place, simply trying to get in control of the vehicle. Things definitely weren't going well. Sadly, there was nothing Goofy could do at the moment, so he just gave a sigh and turned back towards the controls, only to be greeted by a "DANGER! CRITICAL MALFUNCTION! ABORT IMMEDIATELY!" warning on the radar screen.

During this entire ruckus, nobody had been steering the ship, since Goofy was preoccupied with other functions, not to mention dodging flying feathers and provisions. Who was to blame the poor dog for this problematic consequence? If anything, it was the fault of Sora and Donald getting into one of their hissy fits that had caused the ship to start screwing up. The only thing Goofy could do right now was warn his two friends about what danger was about to ensue.

"Uh… guys!" stuttered the canine knight in a worried tone.

Sadly, there was no response, and Sora and Donald continued to shove each other around. Goofy's failed attempt to get the attention of the two wouldn't cut it at all. Surely the violent fussing would only cause more damage to the ship. Heck, if this maniacal mess continued, the Gummi could easily explode! If that happened, then it would be Deep Jungle all over again, or worse. Just the thought of that propelled Goofy to make yet another attempt to warn his friends, but this time, he wouldn't fail.

"Gawrsh, guys! THE SHIP IS MALFUNCTIONING! QUIT YOUR FIGHTING AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!" yelled Goofy, determined to end this mayhem.

Luckily, Goofy had actually made his voice loud enough that, even through the sounds of quarreling, Sora and Donald could hear him. Sweat dripped down both of their faces, and hair and feathers were out of place, but that didn't matter at the moment. What was important was the fact that the ship was beginning to screw up. Already the lights had begun to flash red, and the engine was beginning to make a long, screeching sound. The only reason why the two hadn't noticed this before was because they were too busy struggling to get control of the vehicle.

Both Sora and Donald quietly turned their heads towards the radar screen, which still flashed the same error message that Goofy had eyed just moments before. However, right as they were reading said message, the screen blacked out, and the flashing lights and screeching sounds came to a halt. For several seconds, the Gummi Ship was silent, and all seemed well, but that was just a short-lived deal. After around thirty seconds of silence, the Gummi began to shake vigorously, and the screech from the engine became much, much louder. Five seconds after THAT, the ship seemed to go pitch black, and then…

**KABOOM   
**

End of Chapter

End of Chapter

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**AN: **I do realize that the part at Disney Castle was cut short, but it wasn't an important scene. Same can be said about Sora's clothes, really, and I just wanted to keep the main plot moving. The Gummi Ship flight scene, not that I look back, wasn't my best work, and I don't think I'll feature any Gummi scenes before the worlds. Maybe I'll pull scene switches at that point. -sigh- Now, for da preview!

Next time, we find Sora, Donald, and Goofy stranded in Timeless River. What a predicament! If only the poultry mage and the Keybearer hadn't struggled for control. Now, as they find themselves lost in this strange place, they must not only escape, but prevent the heartless from screwing things up. Meanwhile, Roxas has a run in with a very angsty puppy… er, Cerberus.


	6. Pre Chapter Thingy

Ok folks, I apologize for the lack of updates. I just have had a bit of writer's block, and all that jazz. Not that anyone cares. O.o This fic has over 200 views, but only one review! Seriously, if you read, could you PELASE at least give me some constructive criticism? Anyway, this is not a real chapter. It's more or less, an in-between thing to keep the readers occupied while I work on the real thing. It's not my best, but it's just meant to tie ya over and stuff. And, I admit it got a bit violent, but I tried to avoid describing anything that unpleasant. So, here's the pre chapter.

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Pre Chapter

**Hayner POV**

I couldn't believe it. I just wouldn't. Today was the day I would finally beat Seifer, the day everyone in twilight town would finally see me as more than some hard headed teenager who could only get into trouble. For once, I could have shown the whole town everything, but then, I wiped out at the last minute. While I was fighting Seifer earlier, things started out JUST fine. Sure, he had that cheap gunblade, but this time, I was ready. We started out rushing at each other, both of our weapons ready. Seifer had an advantage, but that was all the better reason to win this rumble.

I admit that I was somewhat scared, which is saying a lot, since I'm not a wuss; no matter how many times Seifer accuses me of being one. The only difference in my fighting strategy was that I was much more alert, after watching Sora in action. Who knew that simple maneuvers such as rolling around to dodge blows could come so much in handy? Anyway, as Seifer tried to swipe at my legs with his weapon, I managed to get out of the way by using that little roll technique. Funny thing is, because I moved so suddenly, Seifer ended up making a face plant in the center of the sandlot.

While my rival was busy eating dirt, I managed to get a few blows. Even with a pathetic struggle club, I was able to dish out some hurt. Sadly, my triumph didn't last that long, as the head of the disciplinary committee finally got back to his feet, giving a good slash at my shirt. I was quite lucky that he didn't open any skin. I mean, I already had one wound on my face from our last rumble. Still, Seifer ruined one of my favorite shirts, and I wasn't about to let him get away with that… without a good beating from yours truly, that is.

I was pretty quick to make another move at Seifer, hitting him in his manliness with my club. Actually, that wasn't even where I had been aiming, but at least it stunned the guy long enough for me to club him in the gut a few times before running out of his range. Man, I was on fire! Sadly, any success was cut short as I found myself playing coward as my rival began to lash out at me once again. It was only when I found the perfect opening for a finishing move that things began to change for the worst.

Everything had frozen. Seifer was stuck in mid air, the crowd still in their cheering positions. I knew that something was wrong. I mean, come on! Since when could time freeze itself? But then, something eerily familiar slapped me right in the face. An image back at The Usual Spot flashed before my eyes. I could see Pence and Olette, but there was another person. For some reason, though, I couldn't see them… it was like they had been blurred.

Whoever this guy was, it seemed as if me, Pence, and Olette all knew him. In fact, we were all standing together with some photos and talking about them for some reason. But, when did that happen? I never remembered any photos like that. While my mind wandered, I heard Pence speak to this stranger.

"You know, I wonder what those things were… and why they stole those pictures of you, -----. Do you have any idea?"

"Uh…not really… They just, sorta jumped at me, and everything froze… well, besides them… and me."

Before I could see what happened next, the vision faded, and I found myself standing in the sandlot again with everything still stuck. Nervously, I gave another look around, only to find that some man in a black trench coat as watching me. He seemed incredibly skinny, possibly anorexic, and he was definitely in his late teenage years, if not older. I gave the weirdo a good stare before he stepped forward, and pulled off his hood, revealing a mess of red hair and aqua green eyes. Judging by his appearance, this guy must have seriously layered up on the hair jell.

"So, you're the one he called his 'friend'," snickered this stranger. "Tell me, uh… 'Hayner', do you remember anyone by the name of Roxas?"

Roxas… Roxas… there something about that name… but I just didn't know what. As far as I knew, I had never met anyone named 'Roxas'. Then again, the way things were these days, maybe I DID, but I couldn't remember. I dunno. Right now, it seemed like the world was a mixed up mess. This spiky headed stranger asked me if I knew a Roxas, but there was only one answer I could give…

"I… don't know…"

I looked back at towards guy in black, only to find him gone. Not only that, but the time had somehow unfrozen. It was only pure stupidity that I had forgotten about Seifer, and the fact that he had been frozen in a lashing position, only to be set back into motion too. By the time I finally was hit by realization, it was too late. The sharp end of the gunblade had made its mark across my back, and this time, it was more than a simple tear in my jacket. This time I was down for the count, my back fully exposed with an open gash. Pain surged down my spine, and the worst part is, I was surrounded by a crowd of people, which added that extra hint of humiliation.

"HAYNER!" I heard in the distance. Almost instantly, I found Pence and Olette rushing toward me. Each of them was equally worried about me. In all the rush that happened over the next few minutes, it was hard for me to see what was going on, but I knew that my two friends were there, and that was good enough for me. I could hear shouting in the background, though the sound was so muffled that it was impossible to know what was happening. I think I could here Olette shouting at Seifer, but it's hard to say.

Pretty soon I blacked out, with the last thing I saw being a crowd of people looming over me. Yes, I had been totally thrashed by Seifer and most likely served with the maximum embarrassment. Whatever was in store for me next, I'd find out sooner or later. Anyway, the next thing I remember was waking up on the couch back in the Usual Spot. Everything was exactly the same from the dart board on the wall to the struggle poster. I guess Olette and Pence had carried me back here after I had blanked out.

Quietly, I took a moment to try sit up… try is the key word. When I tried to lift my body forward, sharp pains began to run down my spine. I guess THAT was yet another stupid idea on my part. Seifer sure chopped me up pretty well, and now I just KNEW I'd be a laughing stock if I showed my face around the sandlot again. Anyway, after hearing my pathetic scream from trying to move, Olette and Pence were quick to rush over to me. Between the two of them, they looked so worried that even a complete idiot could figure it out.

"Gee, Hayner, you need to slow down," Pence rambled, waving his arms around like some weirdo. "Seifer was serious when he lashed you earlier."

Pence was right. Even I knew when I was beaten. Alright, so I was more than just beaten. How about, thrashed to a point of disgust? Either way, Seifer had won and I had lost. End of story. But, it just wasn't fair. If it wasn't for everything freezing up, my rival would have been toast. With those thoughts in mind, I sorta went into a small fit of rage, which, obviously, didn't help with the condition I was in. For the second time, I felt that stupid burning pain jolt up my spine. Obviously, anger wasn't getting me anywhere, so, I pretty much went back to lying down for a bit.

As I was just moping around lazily, I kept thinking about what that dude with the cloak had said. This Roxas that he mentioned… I needed to know who he was. I dunno why, but something just told me that he was more than just some random person. But, for now, I'd have to wait. The pain in my back wouldn't go away until I got some rest anyway. So, I started to doze off, but in my mind I kept thinking about this Roxas along with how I'd deal with Seifer once I got in better shape.

End Pre Chapter

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**AN**: Also, I am thinking of breaking my chapters up into smaller chunks to keep things going quicker. No, I'm not shortening them, but rather, I plan on making each large chapter into about two or so smaller ones. And, I better not put previews up, cuz I dunno how reliable they are sometimes. -shrug- I may still give ya little hints, though. So, hope ya enjoyed my drabble. Please review, though it doesn't really have to be on this pointless chunk of Hayner stuff. XD


	7. Monocrome World: Part 1

Ok, folks, since I've taken so long to update, I'm gonna give you a portion of Chapter 5 that I have done already. I even ended it on a cliffy for ya. The rest of the Sora half of the chapter SHOULD be done by tomorrow, if all goes well, so hold on, please. XD

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Chapter 5: Monochrome world Part 1

**_Flashback_**

"_Gawrsh, guys! THE SHIP IS MALFUNCTIONING! QUIT YOUR FIGHTING AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!" yelled Goofy, determined to end this mayhem._

_Luckily, Goofy had actually made his voice loud enough that, even through the sounds of quarreling, Sora and Donald could hear him. Sweat dripped down both of their faces, and hair and feathers were out of place, but that didn't matter at the moment. What was important was the fact that the ship was beginning to screw up. Already the lights had begun to flash red, and the engine was beginning to make a long, screeching sound. The only reason why the two hadn't noticed this before was because they were too busy struggling to get control of the vehicle. _

_Both Sora and Donald quietly turned their heads towards the radar screen, which still flashed the same error message that Goofy had eyed just moments before. However, right as they were reading said message, the screen blacked out, and the flashing lights and screeching sounds came to a halt. For several seconds, the Gummi Ship was silent, and all seemed well, but that was just a short-lived deal. After around thirty seconds of silence, the Gummi began to shake vigorously, and the screech from the engine became much, much louder. Five seconds after THAT, the ship seemed to go pitch black, and then…_

_**KABOOM!**_

**_End Flashback_**

It figured that some chaotic explosion would occur after a cat fight like the one Sora and Donald had experienced earlier. The funny thing, though, was how they were quarreling over something as trivial as being pilot on the Gummi. One could really sympathize with Goofy, who, at that time, had simply been trying to calm his two friends down, only to end up dodging random objects being knocked around. Plus, there was that roaring siren trying to signal that the ship was in critical condition. Obviously, had the two not been bickering, the Gummi wouldn't have gone out with a bang.

By now, the trio was beginning to come to their senses. Upon opening their eyes, they were greeted by a peculiar site. Surrounding Sora, Donald, and Goofy was a world of black and white. Everything from the hills in the distance to the sky up above was filled with bland tones. Sounds of merriment could be heard, in the distance, however, so maybe this place wasn't so bad. The only problem was: where WERE they, actually? And for that matter, how would they get out?

Quietly, Sora stood up to look around. What he didn't expect, though, was the fact that he and his friends had changed. Instead of wearing his new clothes, the Keybearer found himself in his old duds, but, strangely enough, they actually fit him. But, that wasn't the strangest part. No, what REALLY was odd was the fact that Sora now had noodle-like limbs, and a very abstract figure. Plus, like the rest of this world, he was in shades of grey. Looking over to his two companions, he found that Donald too had the strange noodle-like limbs, plus a longer beak and different attire. Goofy, like the others, had those odd arms and legs, plus a strange lack of pants and a stuffy tail. All in all, this strange world had really altered the spiky haired hero and his associates.

"Guys… is it me, or does this place oddly remind you of one of those 1930's cartoons?" Sora pondered, still getting used to his new appearance.

Both the easily angered poultry mage and his dopey canine companion took a moment to think of what Sora had said. Their heads turned in several directions, and soon the two oversized animals were looking each other over as well. Upon seeing their own strange coloration and abstract proportions, both the court magician and the knight went into a sort of shock. To Donald and Goofy, there was something so strange, yet so familiar about… wherever it is they had ended up.

"Gawrsh…" moaned Goofy, scratching his shin. "Where do ya think we are?"

For a few quiet moments, the three pondered among themselves. All the while, confusion erupted through their minds. Somehow the three would need to get out of here so they could continue their journey, but without a Gummi, the task would be difficult. …Or would it? Suddenly the feathered magician known only as Donald was struck by the most blatantly obvious idea that he felt incredibly stupid for not thinking of it earlier.

"C'mon!" squawked the large fowl. "We can't just sit here. Maybe someone here knows a way back to the castle!"

Donald was clearly correct. Dawdling in one spot would lead to nothing but more opportunity for the Organization and the likes to work on their scheming. Plus, there was absolutely no way that the trio would be leaving any time soon if they just kept asking questions amongst each other. No, it took action to get to the solution! Because of that, the white feathered duck began to tread off down the only visible path. Things were quite plain along this road. 'Twas a simple dirt path surrounded by short-cut grass. At the far end of the road was a small wooden gate painted nicely. Wherever it lead was of no importance to Donald, really. He just was getting tired of being in one blasted spot!

How typical of the duck to be short of patience. The same thing happened on the last mission when it came to finding the King. It was always as if, to Sora, at least, Mickey was more important than Riku and Kairi. Nowadays, however, the Keybearer knew that sometimes one had to be patient to get what they desire, which is, in his case, his two closest friends. In the present time, Kairi was safe anyway, and Riku was SURE to be with Mickey. But anyway, while Donald was eagerly heading down the path, Sora and Goofy felt as if they had been left in the dust.

"H-Hey!" they both shouted, waving their arms. "Wait for us!"

And with that, the two found themselves jolting behind their feathered friend, trying to catch up as soon as possible. Little did they know, though, as they went about in their rushing, an all-too-familiar darkness was creeping into this world. Not too far off from Sora and the gang, heartless were beginning to gain entry into this black and white nostalgic place. As you may or may not have guessed, Timeless River, as the land of black and white was called, was being invaded by the heartless simply because of the gaping hole the Gummi explosion had fashioned.

A problematic situation this was. For, you see, being a world of the past, if Timeless River were to be swallowed by the heartless, it would cause a great shift in time. Who knows WHAT would happen if the ground in which Disney Castle was built upon were destroyed? Such an alteration of reality could totally ruin the present worlds, and therefore, this was a huge threat.

_Pant. Pant. _Donald just HAD to run like the dickens, didn't he? For such a squatty looking fellow, the oversized bird really knew how to jolt. By now, he was standing by the gate, tapping his webbed foot while wearing a bored expression. As for Sora and Goofy, well, they were making their way towards the magical fowl, though with not much enthusiasm. After all, at the rate Donald had been running, keeping up with him had used a lot of energy. That, and there was the fact that the path wasn't as short as it had appeared.

When the Keybearer and the somewhat clumsy canine finally reached their feathered comrade, they nearly collapsed. At least Donald had slowed down once he reached the end of the path, though, so there WAS a bit of a plus side. All that Sora and Goofy really needed now was a quick chance to take a little breather after all that running. However, Donald's nature would probably compel them to move once again, so it was best to just go on with things.

"So, I guess we should get going, huh?" sighed Sora, leaning towards the gate.

"Yep!" snapped the arrogant bag of feathers known only as Donald Duck. "We can't take any risks, though. The Organization could have followed us here, so BE CAREFUL."

Ok, Donald was being a little bit paranoid, at least on Sora's standards. How would Organization XIII even follow a Gummi Explosion, anyway? For that matter, was doing so even possible? Eh, it was a fat chance, but Donald DID bring up a good point nonetheless. Timeless River was a strange world, after all, and who knew what could jump out of practically nowhere? Sure, the world looked friendly and all, but if bright and cheery places like Atlantica had heartless, then what was stopping this black and white world from being the same?

Slowly, Donald reached for the gate, giving it a nice push. Clearly he was being utmost alert, though it looked kind of ridiculous. He stuck his head beyond the gate and gave a quick look around. What he saw was interesting, and it indeed proved that his alertness was for the best. For, what lied passed the gate was a little dock in the distance where a steamboat sat, but that wasn't the dangerous part. No, what REALLY caught Donald's attention was the swarm of heartless that appeared to be popping out of nowhere and chasing around some fat… dog thing with a captain's hat. Now, these heartless were different than the usual types. Instead of being mere shadows and soldiers, they were shaped like automobiles with sharp, grinding teeth. Joining them were a few pilot-like heartless each riding in airplanes that were small in proportion to their bodies and oversized heads. Either way, they were a threat, and one that would need to be dealt with.

"HEARTLESS!" quacked the duck, who quickly pulled away from the door.

Within an instant, Sora and Goofy became alert. If heartless were around, that meant danger, for sure. Innocent people could very well be losing their own hearts to the darkness if the trio did not act fast. Each of the heroes were quick to draw their weapons. As usual, Donald whipped out his mage's staff, while Goofy carried the King's shield, and Sora summoned his Keyblade. Sure, it was predictable, but hey, it worked.

"Come on!" Sora shouted, running in the direction of the dock. "We can't just sit here!"

With that said and done, Donald and Goofy were quick to follow, charging towards the group of odd looking heartless in the distance. For whatever reason, the heartless could sense their enemies approaching and swiftly turned in the opposite direction. Seeing the heartless rushing their way, Sora and his friends drew their weapons and increased their pace, preparing to make contact with their foes.

Without hesitation, the hot rod heartless rocketed forward, attempting to gnash at the Keybearer, while the aeroplanes shot their missiles at Donald and Goofy, who ended up darting this way and that. Each second, though, the hot rod neared its target, who was too busy charging to dodge the assault. _WHAM! _Sora was sent flying backwards, due to the sudden speed burst from the hot rod. With Sora on the ground, the heartless prepared to make another charge at him. Luckily, Donald was there to 'save the day'. Seeing Sora about to be mauled by the car-like heartless, the poultry mage quickly lifted his staff and prepared to cast a spell to assist his friend.

"THUNDER!"

Suddenly, a bolt of electricity shot down from the sky, not only causing the heartless an immense amount of pain, but also stunning the creature long enough for Sora to get back to his feet. Once the Keybearer was up and about, he gave a quick lunge at the odd heartless, who was still stunned momentarily. There were no second thoughts about lashing back at this heartless in Sora's mind. He didn't even take a moment to catch his breath before bolting at the hot rod and cutting through it with his blade.

Right as the hit rod vanished, two aeroplanes arrived on the scene, shooting their missiles without any thought. The bombardment of missiles blasted around the scene, which meant that Sora and co had to be swift on their feet if they were to avoid being harmed. While the Keybearer darted from place to place, he kept his eyes on the remaining hot rod heartless, preparing to lash at them once he got close enough. All the while, Donald and Goofy decided to handle the aeroplanes. While Keyblade met with the front ends of the car-shaped heartless, the aeroplanes were countered by the strong shield of Goofy paired with the thunder magic of Donald. To put it bluntly, the poultry mage cast thunder on his foes, causing them to fall to the ground, while Goofy delivered the finishing blows.

Soon all of the heartless were gone. Each one had been either thwarted by the wrath of Sora, or fallen due to the tactics of Donald and Goofy. Now, an utter silence filled the area as the trio found themselves alone, spare the strange steamboat captain. Speaking of which, the odd looking canine had finally noticed the three strangers. His brow furrowed slightly, and he adjusted his hat before addressing the trio. "So, who are ya, and what brings ya here?" he demanded, looking not very amused.

"Uh…. We just sorta, came here," Sora muttered, slightly taken aback by this arrogant captain. Whoever this guy was, he definitely looked like a dangerous force packed with brute strength. His overall body shape was hefty, but at the same time, muscle was visible beneath his black fur. His jaw too looked like it could do some damage, though it was doubtful that the guy would be barbaric enough to gnaw someone to pieces.

Adjusting his hat for the second time, the captain responded by saying, "Well, you shouldn't just mosey on down here like that. Last time strangers were about, my steamboat was snatched!" He paused for a moment and made a snatching motion with his arms before continuing, "But, you handled those creeps pretty well, so maybe you're not so bad after all…" For a moment, the captain scratched his chin as if trapped in deep thought. "The name's Pete, by the way."

Pete… that name was eerily familiar to both Donald and Goofy. Back at the castle, King Mickey had a follower named Pete who proved most loyal at one point. Supposedly the two were friends for quite some time. However, this did not last long, as soon Pete found himself being tempted by the darkness. With each passing day, he would be more and more drawn towards the shadows until eventually; he took sides with Maleficent and betrayed the kingdom. Luckily for Mickey and the others, Pete wasn't exactly the brightest fellow, making him easy to confront and capture. As soon has he was in the king's clutches once again, the pudgy moron was chucked into a prison in the darkness. But, if this was the same Pete, how could he be here?

Both Donald and Goofy shared uncomfortable glances. Something wasn't right about this place. If this was THE Pete, why was he being so friendly? There had to be a catch. Plus, this world did NOT look like a prison between light and darkness. The only thing to do was interrogate Pete furtively. Donald quietly leaned forward, an odd glint in his eye. "So… 'Pete'… tell me, have you heard of the great Disney castle?" questioned the large fowl.

Quietly, Pete scratched his chin, most likely pondering about Donald's little question. He blinked several times and adjusted his position ever so slightly. For a few moments, everything remained calm and quiet, as Donald waited for a response. Finally, Pete opened his mouth and replied, "No, I've never heard of any castle 'round these parts." Pete paused for a second and then added, "But, I think they're planning on building a castle or somethin' near the cornerstone."

Instantly, Donald and Goofy's eyes lit up in surprise. A castle being built around a cornerstone sounded VERY familiar! Such a place HAD to be Disney Castle, but… if it was only in the planning stages that had to mean that the Gummi blast had… sent them into the past. Things were now beginning to make sense. Everyone, including Sora, had their old clothes because they had been sent back in time via Gummi Explosion. This wasn't good… not good at all.

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**AN: **So, here ya go. Sorry for the wait. The GOOD news is, it shouldn't take me long to finish the chapter, and then I can do the Roxas part. Chapter 6 is being worked on at school as well, so updates should come a bit quicker. Please, leave a review as usual, since I LOVE to hear opinions!


	8. Monochrome World Part 2

Hello everyone! I apologize for any delay, but here is the last half of chapter 5. Just cuz it took so long, I added something special at the end. Though, I admit the special scene was kinda a last minute addition. But, all in all, the choice for this addition will REALLY add a huge twist in future chapters.

**Disclaimer: **Dude, if I owned KH, I'd do very odd things. O.o

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Sora was rather puzzled at Donald and Goofy's strange behavior. For whatever reason, they didn't look very pleased. A river of sweat coursed down their faces, and their bodies were shaky. Fear was plainly present in their very beings. Curious, the Keybearer said, "Guys, what's up? You look kinda… shaky."

Instantly, the poultry mage latched onto Sora's arm and pulled him REAL close to his face. A solemn look glistened in his eyes, and a frown formed on his beak. One could easily tell that the duck knew something about this place that Sora did not. "Sora," he whispered, "We need to get out of here. FAST." When Sora simply tilted his head in confusion, Donald shook him vigorously. "Follow me… you too, Goofy. We need to talk in private."

With that, the duck stomped back towards the gate. Temper shone through every ounce of his existence, from his feathers to his webbed feet. Whatever he wanted to tell Sora, it sure was enough to ruffle his feathers. There weren't any other choices but to follow Donald, really. The duck obviously knew something important, so Sora decided to simply slink behind. Goofy was also following his pal's tracks, as he too awaited this important conversation.

Soon the trio reached a strange glowing orb. Oddly enough, there was nobody else around. Signs depicting information about a Castle construction were the only peculiar items around the glowing object; spare a single card of some kind floating in front of this sphere. Donald, still somewhat annoyed, strutted towards the odd globe and prepared to make an announcement. First, though, he motioned Goofy and Sora to sit down. Once they were seated, he exclaimed, "Sora, Goofy… we are… STUCK IN THE PAST!"

Sora's eyes suddenly widened as realization hit. Now it made sense why he was in his old clothes, which, actually fit! Plus, the castle hadn't even been built yet, giving more proof to Donald's statement. But, if they were stuck in the past, how come the heartless were flooding in? "Wait," Sora interrupted, "you're saying that the Gummi explosion flung us back in time?"

"YES," squawked the duck, stamping his foot angrily. "And that's not the worst part. Believe me, Sora, if the heartless are here, they could ruin everything and alter time. We gotta seal this place's keyhole, just like on the last adventure, to protect everyone!" Donald was right, again. If the course of time was altered, and the castle never built, everything could take a horrible turn. Just thought made the duck's blood boil.

"So, where do ya think we'll find that Keyhole, Donald?" pondered Goofy, scratching the top of his head. "I don't think the King or Queen ever showed it to us."

"Well, uh…" pondered the talking piece of poultry, "I guess we could just look, or… we could ask around." Having to make such a rough decision surely ruffled Donald's feathers. Being the impatient fellow that he was, all this ruckus sure didn't help either. First there was the Gummi explosion, then being stuck in the past, but now it seemed like finding the world's keyhole would be another blasted burden added to the list of junk happening today.

During all this confusion, Sora's mind lingered elsewhere. For, you see, while the fowl tempered mage and Goofy had been conversing, the spiky haired Keybearer had noticed an unusual object floating in front of the cornerstone. It had an odd crown shape and an unusual image of some kind of castle on the front. For whatever, the little piece of cardboard compelled him, and so, he reached out a hand and picked up the card. As soon as the rectangular slip sat in the middle of his palm, it began to emit a powerful glow. A strange sensation began to fill Sora's mind, as images began to flash through his mind.

_Flashback_

Sora stood in the middle of a grassy clearing. The cold wind blew across his flesh, sending a breezy hand across his face and through his spiky locks. Snoring was the only sound that could be heard during this quiet evening. As far as light went, there was but the moon and the stars above. All at once, his quiet sleep was disturbed by a mysterious voice.

"_Ahead lies something you need --- But to claim it, you must lose something dear."_ Instantly, Sora sprung to his feet. An eerie presence greeted him, and this time, it was not the wind. Curiosity seemed to take the best of the Keybearer, as he found himself facing the other direction only to see a man dressed completely in black clothing. Because of a hood covering his face, it was impossible to identify this individual. Quickly, Sora tried to follow this mysterious man, but, he vanished almost instantly, leaving Sora on his own. _End Flashback_

"And so," explained Pete, "I think I might just be able to take ya to that Keyhole thing. But, you gotta PROMISE that it'll keep those 'heartless' away from my steamboat"

Sora blinked a few times. What had just happened? One moment he was holding a card, and then, he suddenly saw himself in some vision that he didn't even remember. Was there some kind of hidden meaning in all this? And, how come it had ended so abruptly? Either way, he was back in Timeless River, surrounded by Donald, Goofy, and now, even Pete was here. Well, whatever had happened didn't matter now. Instead, being in the now was of more importance, and with Pete mentioning a Keyhole, things might actually be brightening up.

"Oh, Sora!" exclaimed Goofy with a grin. "What happened to ya? You were just kinda standing there all dazed. A-hyuck!" Sora gave a sigh and turned away from the cornerstone. Honestly, he didn't even know what had happened to himself. Apparently, his friends had indeed tried to get his attention, though. "Sorry about that," mumbled the Keybearer in response." He gave yet another sigh before slowly ambling near his pals… and Pete. One thing was certain just from glancing at the group, and that was the fact that some sort of negotiations were being made. And, for that matter, they HAD to be good ones, since Donald now wore a pleased smirk. "So, what's up?" he asked his feathered friend.

"Well," snickered Donald smugly, "Pete says that he knows where to find the Keyhole. He just wants us to promise that by sealing it, the heartless won't be able to get in. Bad business or something… I dunno." This news was somewhat refreshing to Sora. Finally, after a butt load of confusion, some good news was beginning to show its face. Now it was all a matter of following Pete to the location of the Keyhole. Obviously, the answer to Pete's question was simple. By sealing the keyhole, the heart of the world would be perfectly protected from heartless attacks, and thus, time would not be altered in any manor.

"Pete," exclaimed Sora eagerly, "if you take us to the Keyhole, you won't have to worry about any heartless at all. The world will be protected and sealed tight." A slight smirk spread across the captain's face at this news. Clearly, Pete was obsessive over his steamboat, and maybe it was because of business.

"Alright then," snickered Pete, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "Lemmie take you down to that Keyhole." With that, the strange steamboat captain started trotting down past the Keyhole. Quickly, Sora and his pals rushed behind, since there was no way they'd miss something as important as protecting the past. Now, unlike the previous path, this one was not blocked by a gate of any kind. Rather, it just continued to curve in and out for a while.

As opposed to Donald, Pete went at a more leisurely pace, which was PERFECTLY fine with Sora and Goofy. On the way down the path, a few bystanders passed puzzled glances, but for the most part, said confusion was ignored. Right now, the Keyhole was top priority, and there was no time for meager chit chat. Moving on, the foursome passed a few hills and some simple houses, but, again these weren't any of the group's business. All Sora, Donald, and Goofy wanted right now was to seal the Keyhole and return to the present to continue their quest. Soon they reached a seemingly empty area. Sure, there were a few rocks and some grass, but this part of Timeless River was incredibly desolate. All in all, the place was rather calm.

Upon reaching the riverside, Pete came to a halt. He surveyed the area before taking a seat on the cool green grass. Curiously, Sora decided to ask about the sudden stop. "Um, Pete," he said, "aren't we going to find that Keyhole?"

"Ya see that rock over there?" Pete replied, pointing to a large rock jutting out of the ground. Without questioning the captain, Sora, and his two allies faced the direction of the queer stone. From the distance, it was impossible to notice, but there was actually an embedded shape similar to that of… a keyhole! "There's your keyhole," continued the captain, relaxing contently. "Now, go on and seal it, so those darn heartless will stop messin' with my business!"

Not even bothering to argue, the Keybearer and his partners began to trudge near the jutting rock on the horizon. Finding the Keyhole had actually been very easy thanks to Pete. But, at the same time, that was a problem. Though the trio didn't really consider any problems, there was definitely a catch. With each advancing step, the ground was slowly but surely beginning to shake. At first, it was so faint that not even the easily shaken Donald noticed. However, the closer they got to the stone, the more vigor the shaking gained. "GAH!" Donald shrieked, bouncing up and down with each tremor. Being relatively small in side compared to Goofy and Sora, he was chucked up and down. Feathers were sent flying, and the ground begin to quake more and more. "What's the big idea!" continued the ranting fowl. Of course, his question would be answered soon enough, as the crevices in the ground began to increase in size, and an unusual beast emerged.

The first part of this oversized heartless to come into view was its face, which wore a contorted grin accompanied by the typical yellow eyes and heartless insignia. At the same time, there was something strange about this beast. The head itself looked like something from the front of a train, and, as it lifted up the rest of its being, even more of this steam engine-like structure became apparent. Soon the heartless was fully on the ground, towering at around twenty feet in height. Its wheels were lined with spikes, and its jaws continuously gnashed open and closed. From the looks of things, this chu-chu had been lying in wait, and now it was ready to strike. Weapons were drawn instantly at the sight of this monstrosity. It would require a group effort to take down this outsized heartless.

Already, the cretin was charging forward, its jaws gnashing at an insanely rapid speed. Sora was the first to make a move, running right up to the heartless in order to make a steady blow on its mug. With sheer determination, he swung his keyblade at full force, but, sadly, this maneuver was not one of success. The strange train had instantly shut its jaw around Sora's blade and was now circling around as if it were to throw him. Seeing this, Donald prepared to use his magic to save the day. With a wave of his staff, the fowl began to use his atop spell, but he was, unfortunately, interrupted when the locomotive blasted strange burning stones in his direction. It was only pure luck that he was able to dodge each piece while continuing his spell on the train.

While Donald was using magic, Goofy was taking a more defensive tactic by blocking each little flame stone the thing shot. Just as the train prepared to release his grip on Sora, it found itself frozen in place, unable to move an inch. Thanks to this form of paralysis, the Keybearer was free to continue fighting. Apparently, attacking the face was not an intelligent decision; so instead, he decided to circle around the locomotive while it was still stuck. Each of the sides seemed to be coated in dense armor, so that was no good. The face was a weak spot, but with those jaws, attacking there was pure insanity. Each segment of the creature, there were three of them, was joined together by a metal hinge, and in the two 'body' segments were loads of stones, each at a blazing temperature.

As Sora continued to look for a weak spot, the spell slowly began to wear off. Gears again started pumping, and the jaws started to gnash. In a few moments, Sora would have to make his decision, or he could very well end up in the beast's clutches again. Donald was trying to distract the heartless by shooting fire and blizzard spells at its mug, but for whatever reason, they didn't prove effective. If Goofy tried to launch his shield at the fiend, it would probably end up either crushed or sent flying back in his direction, so that was no good either.

"Well, what do we have here?" pondered an all too familiar voice.

"Pete!" gawked Donald and Goofy in bafflement.

Pete scratched his chin, eyeing the now unfrozen locomotive. His brow was firm, and there was an odd glint in his eyes. "Looks like you three are havin' a heap o' trouble with that steam engine," he muttered. "No, fire and ice won't work too well on a machine. I may be a steam boat captain, but I know just as well how trains work." As fast as he could, Pete made his way towards the train, which was currently whirling around in an attempt to maul Sora all while shooting its little flame stones.

"Oh, Pete!" Sora exclaimed, all while trying to make as many blows on one of the hinges as he could. Already the back hinge had been dented in a few places, but the caboose remained fully intact. Pete carefully examined the hinge, all while tumbling around to avoid getting his butt barbequed. Suddenly, the steam engine rocketed forward, charging at full force towards Donald and Goofy. In an instant, the two quit dawdling and did the only smart thing; they ran right towards their pursuer. Just as they were about to clash, the fowl and his canine compadre bounded into the air, landing right on the train's back. Now all they had to do was figure out the next move.

"Hey, you two!" Pete shouted from below. "Now's your chance to whack that thing in the face. We'll handle the carts. And, might I recommend some electricity?" With that, the two began their onslaught. Goofy was in charge of hammering the beast to the best extent with his shield, while Donald started to use his thunder magic. From the looks of things, this tactic was actually working, as the locomotive became irate.

Back on the ground, Pete and Sora began hammering at the hinges. Being the slower of the two, Pete handled the back end, while Sora took the front. Keyblade smashed against metal, while brute strength tore the second hinge apart. One could really sympathize for the train at that moment, since it had to endure all of this pain. _CHING! _The back hinge was loosened enough to release the caboose, sending said cart smashing into the Keyhole. Now all Sora had to do was to relieve the heartless of its mid section. Back on top, Donald and Goofy were doing a splendid job on causing heartless torture.

Already its face was dented in many places, and the vigor in its attempts to fling them off had begun to whittle away. At this rate, it would only be mere moments before the metallic menace was history. _WHAM! _Goofy's shield once again made a bang in-between the heartless' eyes. _BUZZAP! _Lighting struck the cretin's visage. Agony was easily seen at this rate. With one final blow, the mid cart was unhinged, and, like the caboose, it jolted back and became toast, via Keyhole. Now that the task was complete, Sora and Pete headed in direction of the front cart. Oddly enough, it had stopped moving, though an expression of agony was plain to see.

This was the perfect chance to finish the thing off. _WHOOM! _One final blow from the Keyblade was all it took to relieve the heartless of its pain and suffering. When said blow was made, the locomotive instantly vanished, leaving behind an oversized heart. After a hard struggle, the heartless vehicle was no more. Sora heaved a deep sigh and turned his attention to the Keyhole. Thanks to that stupid train, precious time had been lost, and who knows what the organization could have been planning in his absence? Both Donald and Goofy were clearly exhausted from the assault they had delivered on the locomotive's face. Heavy beads of sweat trickled down their visages, and they continuously panted. Between the four of them, the only one who wasn't exhausted was Pete.

"Well," sighed the steamboat captain. "There's your Keyhole. Now, if you excuse me, I have a steamboat to attend to." With that, Pete bounded off in the opposite direction whistling a happy tune. Even though he would betray the king in the future, he actually had proved quite useful during this train endeavor. After seeing him fight along side them, Donald and Goofy almost regretted his betrayal. But, time had to make its own course, and changing the past could lead to consequence, so the two decided to shrug off any ideas of persuading Pete to avoid the darkness. Instead, they decided to attend to the current matter: the Keyhole.

Now that the heartless was out of the way, Sora knew that sealing the Keyhole was the top priority. Already the heartless could have caused a mass amount of damage, and by neglecting to seal this thing, consequence was sure to follow. Both his pals encouraged the Keybearer to perform this task as quick as possible. Their faces showed expressions of impatience. So, knowing what had to be done, Sora lifted up his Keyblade and prepared to finish the job. A great beam of light shone from his weapon, making contact with the jutting stone. The aura began to flash several colors, while the shape of the stone began to shift. Where the keyhole shape was, rock was starting to fill in. A transformation from Keyhole to simple rock was occurring thanks to the power of the Keyblade. In only matter of seconds, the job was complete. Now nobody would even be able to tell that this boulder had once been connected to the heart of the world.

"Now what do we do?" moaned Donald, sounding quite worried. "The Keyhole is sealed, but how do we get out?" He and Sora shared puzzled glances at this notion. True, the world was now safe from the clutches of the heartless, but Donald did bring up a good point. Leaving would be a real issue, especially without any crazy gadgets like a time machine.

While the two continued to ponder, Goofy had his sights set on something completely different. His gaze was locked onto an object in the distance, and a peculiar one at that. For, you see, what had caught the canine's attention was a large white door. Just moments ago, it was nowhere in sight, which meant that something strange had occurred under their noses. "Uh, guys…" he exclaimed, still mystified. "Ya might wanna check this out…"

Quietly, Sora and Donald faced Goofy's direction, only to be filled with utter surprise at the site of the gateway of sorta. But, who could blame them? After all, it wasn't every day that doors just suddenly popped up out of the ground. No, there had to be something more important involving the door.

Sheer curiosity drove the Keybearer and the poultry mage to investigate this scene. The door itself was only a few yards away, so reaching it was no problem. "So, what do ya think it is?" questioned Goofy, who was just now facing the door.

"I don't know," replied Sora. "But, maybe it'll get us out of here." Slowly, he reached for the handle of the door, not even thinking about any possible danger that could ensue. Of course, Donald and Goofy didn't mind, since they too were desperate to get back to the present. All in all, the trio just wanted to return to their mission before Organization XIII or the heartless could do any damage. As the door creaked open, a nearly blinding light illuminated the area. Strange sounds could be heard from the other side, and there was just something compelling about this gateway's nature. Though weary, Sora continued to come closer and closer to this mysterious door. Soon, he was completely enveloped from the inner aura. Without any other options, his two allies followed, and the door slammed shut.

**_The World that Never Was_**

Sitting comfortably at a small white table were two members of Organization XIII. One of them had short blonde hair across the top of his head, and a goatee. His eyes were solemn, but at the same time, calm and collected. In his hand, he clutched a cup of tea, fresh and steaming like a geyser. Sitting across from him was a man with dark colored hair that was moderately short, spare a long ponytail at the back of his head. Over one of his eyes was a patch, and a deep scar reached across his face. "_So,"_ said the man with the scar and patch, Xigbar, "_the kid ended up in the past and recovered an important memory, eh?" _He appeared rather laid back, and simply wore a mellow smirk For whatever reasons, Xigbar showed a great interest in the Keybearer.

The man at the other end of the table, Luxord, took a quick sip of his tea before responding to his fellow nobody. "_Yes," _Luxord mused, taking yet another sip of his tea. "_It's quite interesting, really. I just wonder if the boy will be driven to insanity when the memories of Oblivion have been rechained." _Both of the nobodies instantly broke out in maniacal laughter at that notion. Just the mere thought of Sora losing his mind was a notion that Organization XIII might cherish.  
"_Anyway," _added the gambler, "_What on earth is Saix up to as of late? From what Xaldin said, he's planning on somehow regaining our ranks…"_

"_You've got that right, Lux," _Xigbar snickered. "_Xemnas sent him to the Underworld to strike a deal with Hades. Apparently he wants to bring back some 'old friends'."_

"_You mean Marluxia and the others?" _Luxord pondered, quite surprised. "_As lovely as it sounds, do you think it's wise of him to be confronting someone as powerful as the lord of the dead?" _Xigbar simply shrugged and took a sip of tea as well. He didn't really know what to say when it came to Saix. After all, number seven in the Organization was always puzzling in his actions. But, one could argue that it was Xemnas being awkward, since he was the one who sent Saix on the mission in the first place.

"_Anyway," _explained the free shooter with much enthusiasm, "_I guess it'll be nice to have at least MOST of the Organization together again. Maybe then the brat with Keyblade won't be so tough." _ With that, the two simply went about sipping tea and playing a game of black jack. They only failed to realize that they were being watched by another being in the same type of black cloaks as themselves.

"_It seems that number seven is playing a fool's game," _hissed the mysterious 'man'. Instantly, Luxord and Xigbar about faced, passing strange glares at this intruder. Judging by his appearance, he wasn't very old at all. In fact, his height seemed to be more fitting for someone quite young. This 'stranger' simply stood, observing the two Organization members with much interest.

Luxord narrowed his eyes at the one who had intruded on his and Xigbar's conversation and said, "_Now, who might you be?"_

"_You really don't know?" _gasped the 'stranger' in mock surprise. His voice was shrill and cold, and judging by his tone, the young man wasn't easily pleased. Something about him was eerily familiar to the two nobodies, who pondered on his identity. "_Saix is quite the fool," _continued the man. "_He knows not the trouble that could ensue if numbers eleven and twelve were to return."_

Each time he spoke, this young man seemed more and more recognizable two both Xigbar AND Luxord. There was just something about him that rang a bell in the bowels of their minds. It was almost like seeing a ghost, so to speak. Whoever he was, though, he seemed to know a lot about Organization XIII. In fact, it was almost if he was just another member, but that couldn't be right. The only remaining members, spare the traitors Axel and Roxas, were Xemnas, Luxord, Xigbar, Saix, Demyx, and Xaldin. Neither of them were that short or even that young, not even Demyx. From the way he spoke, this cloaked stranger couldn't be Roxas either, despite him being almost the same height. All in all, something was suspicious about him.

"_What is it you want with Organization XIII, kid?" _Xigbar demanded, somewhat concerned about the sudden appearance of this man.

"_Kid!" _snarled the still unknown being in the cloak. "_Let me tell you that I shall not be addressed in that manor. As for what I want," _he quietly turned away for a moment, "_It's really quite simple. I have come to assist you, **Braig**."_

Xigbar's eyes suddenly widened. Realization his him smack dab in the face. This young man, or, 'kid', as he had been called, somehow knew Xiggy's true name. But, the only way that could be possible is if he had known him before he became a nobody. And, judging by his apparent age, there was only one being possible to be the true identity of this stranger.

"_No way..." _staggered the free shooter. "_It can't be…" _ Slowly this young man reached for the hood on his cloak. He pulled it away while snickering to himself. What was revealed beneath the hood was something of pure shock. To both Xigbar AND Luxord, it was like seeing something from a graveyard. Yes, the being that stood before them was quite a surprise. Xigbar's eyes were filled with disbelief, as were Luxord's.

"_But… you're…"_

End of Chapter

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**AN: **As you see, there are some strange things in this chapter, like the Chain of Memories reference. More on that will be explained later on. And, if you can't guess who the stranger in the cloak is, I almost pity you. XD More shall be explained on this matter over the next few chapters among other things. Anywho, next chapter we have some loverly Roxas in the Underworld action, and a sneak peak on Saix and Hades. There will also be a cameo appearance of a certain FF7 character. So, look forward to an update soon! And, don't forget to leave a review.


	9. Land of the Dead

AAAAAAAAAAH! I feel so terrible for not updating sooner. But, here's my explanation: I had a terrible writer's block. Heck, it was so bad that I had to rewrite most of the chapter. No worries, though, cuz I'm back with a new Roxas chappy:D Anyway, this one has that FF character cameo I mentioned before. Mind you, this is my first time writing for said character, so go easy on me. Oh, and we also find out who the mysterious Organization member at the end of chapter 5 was.

Disclaimer: Do I have to say it again?

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Chapter 6: Land of the dead

**Roxas POV **

Soooo, here's the deal. Earlier I had wound up in the Underworld of all places after fighting some deformed nobody. How fun… not. From the moment I appeared, Hades wanted to use me as a tool. Of course, I knew better than that, me having Sora's memories and all. Instead of giving the hothead what he wanted, I just gave Hades a snappy comment… And, well, let's just say that he wasn't exactly jumping for joy. Heck, that undead lord was steamed, quite literally…

To sum things up, this is what happened next. First, I was dragged across, the cold, hard floor. Let me tell you, though, that the experience wasn't exactly wonderful. Just imagine being pulled around like a sack of garbage, and you'll get the idea. Now, I don't know how long I was pulled around, but, after a while, Hades stopped in front of some weird gate. Unlike the rest of the place, which was all blue and dull, this oversized door was pitch black and encrypted with runes of some kind. Whatever language they were in, I sure had never heard of it, let alone seen it before.

Slowly, the lord of the dead stomped toward the strange entrance. Just like earlier, I was dragged a long, but by now I had gotten used to it. Sure, my butt hurt like heck, but that wasn't anything big. The only reason why I didn't fight back was because I really wanted to see what the flame-head was gonna do with me. Plus, it's not like he was a threat to me. Anyway, when Hades was just inches away from the gate, he gave it a shove, causing the entry to reveal something….uh… interesting. Let me say that it wasn't exactly pretty.

Beyond the stone doors there were cells all over the place. Inside each one, prisoners were seen begging for freedom. Even those who were all tough looking had desperate expressions. Heh, how typical for Hades to bring someone like me here. After all, I did mouth off to him… which lit his fuse. So, yeah, the hot head pulled me along this dungeon. As he went, the prisoners screamed and pleaded for food, water, and all that stuff. I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. I mean, being cocked up in some cell all day wasn't exactly a thrilling way to spend time.

Finally, the high and mighty Hades stopped in front of some empty cell. Inside, there was dust all over the place, and not even a cot to sleep on. Sheesh, had I really gotten that far on his bad side? Sure enough, he didn't even think twice before chucking me inside. _THUD! _Pretty much, I landed face down on the musty cell floor. Oh what fun! I just loved having pain surge through my body…. Wait, no, I didn't. Obviously, Hades was having the time of his life, just watching me in there. I mean, he was laughing like some homicidal maniac on sugar for crying out loud! Even after he locked me up and headed towards the exit, I could still hear him cackling. Ugh… how annoying. Once he left, though, I couldn't help but snicker to myself. Sure, I may have been behind bars, but there was one thing: I had the Keyblade.

It didn't take any second thoughts for me to summon my oversized key. Why should I just sit there like some criminal when I had a universal key? Plus, there's no fun in sitting on some musty floor. _Whoosh! _In a flash of light, the Keyblade materialized in my hand. Pleased with myself, I gave a smirk before lifting my weapon towards the lock. In just a matter of seconds, I'd be home free. However… just as I was about to make my escape, I was interrupted.

"Interesting weapon you have…." muttered a strange man from the neighboring cell. Whoever the guy was, he sure had a strange appearance. His skin was all pale and lifeless, and his hair was pitch black. Around one of his hands was a clawed gauntlet. And, to top that off, he wore this tattered red cape that covered part of his face. All in all, I swear he looked like someone from a horror movie.

I really didn't know what to say to this guy. Who was to say that he wasn't some serial killer? He sure didn't look "friendly", that's for sure. Nervous, I backed off slowly, ending up with my back pressed against the bars of the door. Without anything else to say, I just moaned "Uh… thanks?" Surprisingly, the guy didn't say anything… he just stared at me with this weird look.

"What are you doing, anyway?" he questioned, still giving me that creepy glare.

"Uh… well," I began, shaking… quite a lot. "I'm going to… escape?" Ok, so I sounded pretty stupid, I admit. But, hey, can you really blame me? It was like the weirdo was interrogating me the way he was talking to me! Well, maybe not that extreme, but, you get the idea. So, after I had mentioned escape, the mysterious man shook his head, giving me this "poor kid" look. Ugh, how irritating. He obviously didn't know who I was… though we hadn't met before, anyway.

"Trust me," he said in a bland tone, "it won't work… never did for me." So, I guess the man in red had actually tried to get out before. I mean, why else would he look all serious and give me a warning? As I just stood there, clutching my Keyblade tightly, I guess the stranger thought I was some idiot kid.

Really, I was a bit annoyed that this guy doubted me, even if he wasn't really to blame. It's not like every fifteen year old has a universal key. Either way, it wouldn't be a crime to show him that I wasn't like any average twerp. So, yeah, I pointed my Keyblade towards the lock again, and said, "Actually… I _will_ get out… thanks to the Keyblade right here." What happened next was pretty predictable: the guy simply huffed again and took a moment to stare at my Keyblade. I guess he was totally clueless.

"A Keyblade…" he grumbled, very curious. "Interesting. I wait to see how you free yourself, kid." Well then… it looked like this dude was a bit interested in me. Still, I guess he wasn't so bad. Sure, he looked a little creepy, but appearances aren't what make the person. For all I knew, he could have been some happy go lucky gardener… well, maybe not THAT. Anyway, judging by his last statement, he probably had been here for a long time with no success in finding freedom. I knew that leaving him and the other prisoners wasn't the right thing to do, so, I made up my mind and decided that I'd unlock ALL the cells.

"Say, uh… strange guy in red," I muttered, slightly nervous, "if ya want, I can get you out of here too." The strange man remained quiet for a moment. From the looks of it, he was considering my offer.

"Alright," he finally said, getting up. Nothing else was said between the two of us. Instead of engaging in any conversation, I raised my Keyblade once again and prepared to unlock the gate. As usual, a beam of light emanated from the tip of my weapon, meeting with the lock on the cell door. With a click, the door slowly flung open and I was free. Of course, I wasn't about to make my escape without freeing the strange man.

As soon as his cell was unlocked, the man walked slowly into the hall of the dungeon. He didn't seem all too worried about being caught by Hades or the likes, and he was probably thrilled to be free after who knows how long. As for me, well, I took the time to unlock each of the nearby cells as I headed toward the main gate for the prison. Each time a cell door swung open, various prisoners joyfully dashed through the hall as quick as they could. Many of them were frail in structure, probably after not being fed, while others seemed to have been beaten to a pulp.

The hall was filled with madness as I headed for the exit. It was nearly impossible to avoid bumping into other escapees during all this chaos. In every which way, the escapees ran, darted, etc, obviously trying to find the perfect place to hide from the wrath of the Underworld lord. The strange thing is, I couldn't find that man from earlier. It was as if he had vanished. Soon, I was standing face to face with the exit for the prison. With no sign of the man in red, I decided to just go on through and figure my way from there.

**End Roxas POV**

------------------------------- ****

**_The World that Never Was_**

Xigbar and Luxord stared in awe at the sight before them. Staring them straight in the eyes was none other than number six of Organization XIII. Clearly he could be nobody else with that almost child-like appearance, silver hair that covered half of his face, and piercing stare. But there was something different about Zexion. A black circle wound around his visible eye, which had gone from blue to yellow, and his skin was unusually pale. There were several small scratches on his cheek, and, all in all, he looked as if he had been mauled to death.

"_Zexion?!"_ Xigbar exclaimed in extreme shock. The look on his face was one of pure bafflement. "_How are you still alive?! I thought that Vexen's replica destroyed you!" _Zexion simply broke out into a maniacal cackle at that last statement. For whatever reason, the Cloaked Schemer had avoided death, even though the whole notion seemed impossible. Clearly there was more to the organization's sixth member than what met the eyes.

"_You actually thought that Vexen's little tool could do away from me?" _grunted Zexion, crossing his arms. "_I may not fight much, but I'm NOT weak."_

"_Then tell us," _replied Luxord with much curiosity, "_How DID you survive that little assault?"_

Zexion made his way over to the table and sat down. For a moment, he remained silent and took a sip of Luxord's tea. Upon finishing his little drink, the Cloaked Schemer faced Luxord and Xigbar and said, "_Let me explain. You see, back at Castle Oblivion, I was indeed confronted by the Riku Replica. Defenseless, all I could do is endure the clone's ferocious attacks. I begged for Axel's help, but got no response spare the horrid sound of laughter. When the replica had gotten what it came for, though, he and Axel simply left me for dead without bothering to finish me off. So there I sat, expecting to be greeted by death's doors._

"_Minutes became hours, and I still remained on the floor in the basement of the castle. Not once had anyone bothered to see if I was still around. I guess it was because Axel was the only surviving member during this ordeal, spare myself. That and the Keybearer knew not of my existence. After what was probably a whole day of lying down, hopeless and frail, I finally managed to gather enough strength to leave that wretched place. Even that foolish replica had been destroyed, leaving me without many options. True, I could have come here sooner, but by the time I left Castle Oblivion, you probably assumed I was dead._

"_Instead, I went into hiding for a whole year. During that time, I was able to regain most of the power that the replica had drained through my own means. Though it would be impossible to fully regain my strength, at least I was no longer weak and vulnerable. It was only when I got word of the Keybearer's awakening that I decided to return to my brethren to become, once again, a member of Organization XIII. To put it simple, I am back, and I expect to regain my authority."_

Both Xigbar and Luxord shared puzzled glances. To them, it was strange to see Zexion in their midst after a full year of assuming him dead. Then again, he always was a tricky being. Whether it was using his powers of illusion, or just the way he schemed, number six was quite unfathomable. Of course, any help was better than none at this point. Already the Organization had lost Axel and Roxas, along with those who had been slain back at Castle Oblivion. The intelligent thing to do was to accept Zexion back into the Org.

Heaving a sigh, Xigbar explained, "_Well, if you want to return to our ranks, you'll have to talk to Xemnas. After all, he passes judgment on_ _any new, or, in this case, rejoining members." _Motioning Zexion to follow, Xigbar formed a portal of darkness. "_I'm sure he'll welcome you with open arms, since he wanted all the 'dead' members back anyway." _Zexion was quick to follow Xigbar, making his way into the aura of darkness. Plainly, he was still loyal to the Organization after all this time... or so it seemed.

Finding himself alone in the room, Luxord simply sat back down to play a game of solitaire. Though he was rather annoyed that Zexion had taken a sip of his tea, the gambler simply shrugged it off. What was important was that the Organization was slowly piecing back together. Now the Keybearer would REALLY have something to fear.

-----------------------

**Roxas POV**

After escaping the dungeon, I decided to snoop around for a bit. From Sora's memories, I knew of Hades, but the Underworld was a different story. As I made my way through the cryptic corridors, I could hear snarls and grunts from near by residents. Who knew dead people could be so grouchy? Anyway, the whole place was pretty much the same bluish grey and made of stone. You could pretty much consider it a giant tunnel or cave. I really didn't have any idea of which part of the Underworld I was in, since, again, it looked pretty much the same everywhere, so I just kept going.

Soon I reached what appeared to be a dead end, if it weren't for a giant crevice splitting the wall in two. A green fog was emitted from this crack, carrying a TERRIBLE smell. It was probably that stink of corpses or something. But, even though tolerating the stench would be difficult, I didn't care. All I wanted was to explore this place a bit. So, yeah, I entered the crevice and found myself standing on a narrow path that twisted upwards. Below me was a sea of green liquid of some kind, which was the source of that odor from before.

At the end of the path was a huge doorway. Just like the rest of the place, it wasn't too pretty. But, maybe it was something important. Just because I had nothing better to do, I decided to continue up this path. As I made my ascent, I came face to face with three dusks. Each of them did that weird, contorting dance of theirs. But, if nobodies were in the Underworld, that meant that Organization XIII was too! Rather annoyed, I pulled out Oblivion and Oathkeeper and charged right at the dusks, doing the reversal move at the right time.

Wiping out these dusks was rather simple. All it really took was a few hits from my dual weapons. Had there been a whole swarm of them then things would be different. With those pests taken care of, I continued to advance towards the gate up above. For most of the walk, I was uninterrupted. Heck, the only REAL disturbance for me was that smell, which I had gotten used to about half way up. It was only when I heard a familiar voice that I stopped in my tracks.

"You have business with Hades?" questioned the man in Red. In shock by his sudden appearance, I jumped back. Seeing my reaction, the man simply shook his head and trudged right past me. The look on his face was rather plain, and it seemed as if he could care less about anything that was going on. But, from what he said, I assumed that the door at the end of the path led to Hades' chamber.

With nothing better to do, I too continued down the path. Maybe by spying on Hades, I could pick up something interesting. Plus, that strange man seemed to be heading in the same direction. So, I continued my little march of sorts, eyeing the man in red curiously. The farther down the path I went, the greater the stench became. I was surprised to find that the strange man wasn't even bothered by the smell. His face remained completely emotionless, as if the only thing on his mind was reaching the top.

Finally, he stopped just a few yards away from the gate. Heaving a sigh, he turned in my direction with a puzzled glare. Nervous, I backed up a little. Beads of sweat coursed down the sides of my face. "Uh…" I muttered, trying to think of something to say, "I never did get your name." He gave me an odd look and faced the other direction before finally giving me a response.

"It's Vincent…" he said with a sigh. "And what about you, kid?" Well, it seemed like this Vincent wanted to be on a first name basis… or he was just being some interrogator again. Either way, I guess there was no harm in answering the guy. After all, I didn't exactly like being called kid all the time.

"I'm Roxas," I replied, trying not to look all frightened. But, eh, that wasn't exactly easy, even if he didn't seem like a bad guy. Guess it's cuz of that homicidal look of his. Though, I have to say that he didn't really care about how stupid I looked, just standing there shaking.

"Hmm… Roxas," he mumbled quietly. "That's an unusual name…" For a moment, Vincent paused, probably thinking of something, but it's not like I could read minds. "Anyway, that Keyblade of yours is impressive," he added. "Not even Shinra could replicate it."

Well, I guess the guy was pretty amazed by my over sized key. Then again, it's not every day you come face to face with a weapon like it. I was just surprised that he actually complimented me... But, anyway, just because I was curious, I asked another question, though I'm not sure if it was a smart move on my part. "So, uh, Vincent," I pondered, "why is it that you're here in the first place? I mean, Hades had to bring you here for a reason…"

Vincent sighed before taking the time to acknowledge me. "I carry a heavy sin on my chest," he explained. "Hades wanted to use that to his advantage." The look on his face changed to an expression of near sorrow. Whatever this 'sin' was, it must've been pretty bad. Why else would Hades try and use him? Now I could see why Vincent was so melancholy. Something in his life must have taken a turn for the worse.

Without another word, Vincent stepped towards the door. His mournful visage had shifted to a look of hatred. He probably wanted to face Hades. As for me, well, I too headed towards the door with no acknowledgement from Vincent. We pretty much just acted on our own thoughts without engaging in conversation. However, the two of us DID take a peek inside the chamber.

Inside, Hades was talking to a member of Organization XIII. Blue locks ascended down the nobody's face, and his ears were like those of an elf. These strange traits were accompanied by narrow, almost snake-like eyes and a scar across his forehead. Only one member of Organization XIII could fit that description, and that was Saïx. "_You know well why I came here, Hades," _Saïx hissed in an angered tone. "_I want to not only revive the witch for a tool, but also retrieve the five deceased members of Organization XIII." _Hades simply growled at Saïx and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, and what's in it for me?" mused the hot headed lord of the dead. As usual, Hades wasn't willing to give up anything without a price. How predictable. Either way, I was deeply interested in this conversation, especially the last part about Marluxia and the other dead Org. members.

"_It's quite simple," _explained the elf-like nobody. "_Accept my simple request, and Organization XIII will reward you with what you so dearly desire. I see no reason for you to reject this offer. After all, you always DO enjoy those deals where there's nothing to lose." _

For a moment, Hades remained quiet, scratching his chin as if he were in deep thought. I guess the guy was still concerned about his half of the bargain. He'd probably want Saïx to destroy Hercules or something. Heh, like that could ever happen. "You know what?" Hades finally exclaimed in a matter-of-fact tone, "I think I might just accept your puny little offer. Anything I desire, eh? In that case, you can get your stupid nobodies and any other pests you want. Just head back to the entry way and the little runts Pain and Panic will handle the rest."

I couldn't believe it. Organization XIII was bringing back Marluxia, Vexen, and the others. This was NOT good. Not only would it be more trouble with an almost full Organization, but with traitors like Marluxia and Larxene around, even Org. XIII would have issues. And what's worse is that Saïx had mentioned a tool that just so happened to be a witch. The only person I could think of who would perfectly fit the description is Maleficent. Man, why did EVERYTHING have to be so difficult?

So, after Saïx had finished his little chat with Hades, he vanished in a dark portal, leaving the flame head alone. With business taken care of, he went back to lounging in his throne. I, on the other hand, remained next to Vincent, who gave me an odd glance. Heh, I guess he could read the "This isn't good" look written all over my face. "Hmm," he whispered, "Hades seems to be getting in too deep."

"Yeah," I replied, getting back to my feet. "That guy you just saw isn't just anyone either… he's Saïx, a member of Organization XIII. I just know that he's gonna cause some serious trouble…" Angry at all this, I couldn't help but stomp and groan. Already Organization XIII was getting an advantage, and there was nothing I could do about it. Some adventure this was turning out to be…

"Well then," Vince answered, sounding slightly interested for once. "I suppose you should do something about it… after all, if you fail to act, you too might end up carrying a sin… one that you may be unable to atone for." The look in his eyes just then was really serious. I could tell that Vincent was the type of guy who regretted what he had done in the past, and I guess he didn't want me to do anything stupid.

Vincent was right, though. Just sitting here behind the scenes wasn't the way to go. Sure, there was that risk of meeting up with Sora in the future, but to do nothing could lead to things getting worse. Organization XIII would almost be at full ranks if this pulled through, and with Maleficent back in the game, I just knew that this would be too much to just ignore. Because of all that, I did the only thing I could do, and that was make a dark portal towards the entry way.

Oddly enough, Vincent followed behind me. Guess he was either curious or wanted to help me. Not like it mattered, backup was definitely a good thing. So, without anything else to say, I took a dive into the gateway of darkness. In less than a second, I found myself sitting on the hard stone floor of the entrance staring at what I had seriously hoped I wouldn't see… Yep, Saïx and four other Organization members were RIGHT in front of me. It really didn't take a genius to guess who the heck these guys were, either.

The first one to notice me was, of course, number VII. Joy. He didn't exactly look too pleased to see me either, if he even COULD be pleased. "_Well, I see you've made it this far, Roxas,"_ he hissed, narrowing his eyes_. "You know, it's not too late to come back with us." _I didn't know what to do. With five of them and one of me, I doubt that challenging them would have been the right move. I mean, Saïx alone could be a brute, but with Marluxia, Larxene, Vexen, and Lexeaus… I didn't stand a chance.

"Uh…" I muttered, backing up slightly, "Can't we just… uh… all be friends?" I admit, it was kind of stupid for me to say that. After all, friendship and happiness were the least things on Saïx's mind. Heck, he probably wanted to do nothing less than club me to death with his Claymore. But, even with that in mind, I couldn't say anything to make things WORSE…

"_Friendship is a mere trifle," _snarled the Lunar Divine, edging closer to me with each step. "_A nobody like you shouldn't be worrying about meager things like that… no, you should be remembering your lack of a heart." _His last few words sent a cold shiver down my spine. Saïx was almost as bad as DiZ! Just hearing him call me incomplete made me want to shred him into pieces!

Just as I was about to burst in anger, I felt a cold, metallic grip on my shoulder. Looking upwards, I found that Vincent was giving me this weird look, as if he thought I was some psychopath. "Don't do anything you'd regret…" he muttered. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was dead serious. I mean, there WERE five of them and only two of us… and not a single one of them was even a slight pushover.

"_Well then," _huffed Saïx dryly, "_It appears that you have made yourself one of these so called 'friends'. Perhaps you two would enjoy a little… surprise." _After that little statement, the elf man started laughing like someone from an insane asylum, as did the other Org members. It was right then that I knew something wasn't right. Vincent, on the other hand, remained casual. I guess he wasn't the type to get scared like some little kid… then again, he had probably been through a lot.

Continuing his 'evil laugh', so to speak, Saïx lifted up his right arm and snapped his fingers. As he did, the other Organization members backed up, giving me this… well, let's just say the feeling wasn't that great. The ground started to shake all of the sudden, making me feel like I was at some freak show amusement park, and dark tendrils slowly inched their way in my direction. Suddenly, this big, black blob appeared in the middle of the entrance, growing with each passing second. Soon, I could make out three heads, a messed up looking tail, and razor sharp claws. Actually, this… thing looked a whole lot like Cerberus!

As the freakazoid continued to form, my hunch about it being the angst puppy was proven correct. From its huge, muscular form, to the three, sharp nosed heads, this beast was indeed Cerberus, but there was something different about it. First of all, its whole body was all deformed and twisted in some areas, like its tail. Weird marks were found all over its body, and the middle head was REALLY screwed up. For example, instead of being a normal head, like the other two, this middle one had circular eyes like a heartless and jagged teeth. If that wasn't enough, on the freaky mutt's forehead there was the heartless insignia, which could only mean one thing… somehow, the Organization had turned this mutant puppy into a heartless.

I knew just standing there wouldn't do any good. Already, Cerberus was making its way towards Vincent and me. All this time, Saïx and the others just watched from a safe distance, as the mindless mutant charged forward. Great, after dealing with a stupid nobody earlier, I know had to take on some dog that woke up on the wrong side of the Underworld?! I guess a hero's work is never done. So, without any other choice, I summoned Oblivion and Oathkeeper right before rushing in Cerb's direction. Of course, I wasn't watching where I was going, and I nearly got my head chewed off… NEARLY.

Right before the sad puppy was able to have me for lunch, it was stopped abruptly by a flurry of red along with a barrage of bullets. At first, I didn't realize what it was that had attacked Cerb, but soon enough I realized that it was Vincent. With bullets flying all around the area, it was hard to keep my eyes on the prize... heh. I kept having to dodge role while Vincent whipped out his crazy limits and such. BAM! Cerberus gave a terrible roar, breathing a dark aura from its mouth. Hmm, I guess Vince had overdone it slightly.

Either way, I found myself not only dodging bullets, but also the dark tendrils popping up like daisies. Plus, if you count Cerberus attempting to have a nobody lunch, then you pretty much get the idea of how 'fun' this little fight was. So, I ended up making circles around the oversized canine, while avoiding bullets and keeping up my speed to dodge the dark tendrils. I'm sure that I looked stupid enough to be on one of those 'Funniest Home Video" shows, but that's beside the point.

After a bit of running, Cerb stopped breathing that creepy darkness. Instead, it, well, spun around, trying to bite my pants. Even though I was running out of breath, I hurried over towards one of the hallways, hoping to lose track of the freak. Oddly enough, Vincent stayed behind, shooting at Cerberus while making swift maneuvers. I would have stayed to back him up if it weren't for the fact that I wouldn't be able to run for much longer.

When I reached the hallway, I thought things would run smoothly… but boy, was I wrong. Sure, I got a quick breather, but it didn't take long for the angry angst machine to find me. What's worse is that in this hall, there was a lot less space to fight. If I kept running, the dog would have me on a silver platter at one point, but doing a head on attack might have been just as bad. This really was a problem.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to take a risk and head towards the raving beast again. This time, however, I kept my eyes peeled for it's knife like fangs. SNAP! Cerberus made yet another attempt to chew me up and spit me out, but, thanks to a quick dodge roll, the heartless failed miserably. As I rolled by, the other heads proceeded to do the same exact thing, only to end in failure. Once I got past it front end, I scurried towards his back, jumping on top before it could even fight back.

WHAM! I struck my two Keyblades right on the middle head, causing the heartless mutt to screech in pain. Actually, I would have done the same thing again, had I not been flung towards the wall. CRASH! Back first, I hit the solid wall, and let me tell you, it wasn't exactly the ride of my dreams. The sudden pain kept me stunned long enough for Cerberus to knock me into the air with its tail and get a good bite out of my leg, though he didn't actually chew it off.

I could feel the knife-like fangs cut into my skin. Once again, I could feel pain surging within me. There wasn't much I could do either, because I was caught in the heartless' grip. So, I was flung towards the wall again. This time, however, Cerb hovered over me, its middle head looming over my chest. That's when I realized what it wanted… a heart. Just like in Hollow Bastion… I had no heart to give Cerberus, yet it still stood there, drooling over me. The only thing there to break the silence was the sound of more bullets hitting Cerb's back.

Instinctively, Cerberus turned around and darted towards Vincent. I guess it figured that if I didn't have what it mindlessly craved, why even bother? Vincent wasn't a nobody, he had a heart… at least, I think. If I couldn't deliver what the beast wanted, I guess Vince would have to do. Not that he was scared of Cerb. In fact, he just went on with his long range fighting, all while dodging another onslaught of dark attacks. Realization just suddenly hit me, as I watched the brute fighting to capture another heart: If Cerberus wasn't interested in me; I could attack it without much trouble.

Running as fast as I could with my injured leg, I charged head on at Cerberus' back side, ready to strike at full force. As I ran, I twirled Oblivion and Oathkeeper like propellers, concentrating on where to strike. Closer, closer, and closer I came to Vince and Cerberus before… WHAM! Both of my weapons ended up sticking right into the back of the heartless puppy. Instantly, Cerb let out a blood boiling roar before collapsing to the ground. All I could do is watch as its body disappeared, and the heart within was released.

Exhausted, I fell over, propping myself up with my hands. That last move had taken a lot out of me, especially with my leg all chewed up like that. I think that some of my energy had been transferred into the Keyblade as well. Panting, I turned to Vincent and smiled weakly. "Hey… thanks for helping me back there," I coughed. "You're pretty good."

"I did what I had to," he exclaimed, "it's going to take a lot to make up for my sins. I'm impressed, though. That Keyblade of yours really is something… and your _heart _is strong. You'll go far." That last thing he said made a huge clot form in my throat. A heart… something I didn't have. What he said only made me feel worse. I know he didn't mean anything bad, but, it only reminded me of how incomplete I really was.

Quietly, I pulled myself to my feet, limping towards a wall. I knew I couldn't stay here. Hades and the Organization were probably still around, and then there was Maleficent… Staying here would only mean more trouble. Even though I had barely any strength left, I concentrated hard and was able to make a portal. Before I left, though, I had to say goodbye. "Hey, Vincent," I snickered, still sound like a wimp, mind you, "I'll be seeing you, ok? Hope you can take care of that sin of yours."

You know what's funny about all this? For once, I actually saw Vincent crack a slight, and I mean _SLIGHT_ smile. "Farewell, Roxas. Remember not to let the shadows consume you, or you may end up like me: alone, carrying a heavy burden."

Right as I stepped through the portal, I gave Vince a nod. He really was right about all this. Giving into the darkness would only lead to a horrible life. That's when I realized something. As I was entering my path to the next world, I thought of Sora. I really was afraid, and even jealous of him, and, really, I could have simply hid from him. The thing is, though, doing nothing would lead to trouble for him and his friends. Even if I didn't like him, I had to think of others instead of myself.

**End Roxas POV**

------------------------------- ****

**_The World that Never Was_**

Silence filled the Superior's chambers. Not even the sound of the wind was there to lighten the mood. The pale, lifeless walls matched with the thirteen thrones within did not add to this dismal place. Why, the only thing that kept the vicinity even close to lively was the presence of a single cloaked figure, resting in the highest throne. As you may have guessed, it was Xemnas, Superior of Organization XIII. Sitting still, without making a sound, number I had been concentrating on his plans. First there was the most important matter: attaining Kingdom Hearts. The procedure for that was simple enough. All it really would require would be the efforts of both Keybearers fighting off the heartless…. However, there was another matter at hand.

It was only earlier that Xemnas had sent Saïx to the underworld to receive the deceased members of the Organization. Now, one would likely consider it a foolish act to revive the two traitors, namely, Marluxia and Larxene, but there was more to this little scheme than met the eye. You see, the duo of traitors was linked to an important, albeit forgotten fraction of Sora's memories. This missing piece, however, still lurked within the depths of his heart, and by awakening the sleeping memories… interesting things could occur.

Just as Xemnas was about to continue in his pondering, he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps beneath him. Interested as a nobody could be in this sudden intrusion, the Superior quickly made his way to the lower reaches of the chamber. Upon reaching the ground, he could not help but question the being before him. You see, just as Luxord and Xigbar had been earlier, Xemnas was rather surprised to see Zexion in his midst. "…_Zexion? How is it possible for you to be here…?"_

"_That, my Superior_… _is a long story…" _answered the Cloaked Schemer lazily, "_Though, if you must know… I suppose I could retell the tale." _So, Zex went through the explanation he had given the others earlier. Everything from being left for dead in the basement of Castle Oblivion to the fact that he had gone into hiding had been rehashed. All the while, Xemnas had listened intently, as he was intrigued by this little 'story' of sorts.

"_Until recently," _Zexion added after completing his rehashed explanation, "_I had been waiting for… the opportune moment to make my reappearance… Interestingly enough… before arriving here, I had gone to Twilight_ _Town_ _and… took a train. From there, I reached Yen Sid's castle, and after a little… manipulation… I took his place and lured Sora and those fools into a trap… they took a Gummi Ship that I had… altered, so to speak, and it was in little time that they ended up in the past… it wasn't anything of much importance, true… but I couldn't resist seeing him for myself, my Superior."_

Giving a nod of approval, Xemnas responded by saying, "_Very intriguing, Zexion. You have impressed me more so than any other member in this Organization. To survive such an assault from a clone of Riku, of all people, is an amazing feat. It would be incredibly foolish for me to deny you your place in our happy flock." _ Slowly, he pointed towards the sixth throne in the chamber and added, "_I am certain that you remember this castle well enough. So, for now, feel free to keep yourself occupied… I will be sure to inform you when you are needed."_

"_I understand, Xemnas…" _whispered number VI in response before turning in the other direction. So far, things had been proving quite successful for Zexion. Not only had he managed to meet the Keybearer face to face, but he was also accepted back into Organization XIII. However, Xemnas had failed to notice, as Zex had entered his dark portal, that the Cloaked Schemer bore a contorted smirk while clutching a strange slip of paper. As soon as he was within this corridor of shadows, Zexion broke into a maniacal cackle. "_That imbecile… now I've got the first piece in place…"_

End of Chapter

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**AN: **As you can see, our lovely cloaked figure was Zexion. The reason why I decided to add him into this fan fiction mostly because my friend said that I should in order to make things interesting. Also, you can see that "Yen Sid" was merely a fake, and the Gummi incident was also part of Zex's scheming. Mind you, there will be more on Zexion in upcoming chapters along with the other formerly deceased members. Know this, though: there is more to Zexion than it seems. Oh, and Roxas' leg injury doesn't just disappear… he'll have it for a bit.

Next chapter is already done, actually. I'll be uploading it tomorrow, as I may go and revise a few minor things. We won't be seeing Maleficent for a while, but when we do, she'll serve a more… useful purpose, especially to Organization XIII. Anyway, preview of the next chapter…

**Sure enough, this little Goofy distraction had given Pete enough time to recover, and now the behemoth was heading in Sora's direction. Rage swelled up in his entire being, and for someone his size, that was incredibly dangerous. By the time Sora realized that Goofy wasn't going to move, Pete was already flying in his direction. He braced himself for the impact, clutching his Keyblade tightly. But, when it seemed like the two beings would clash in mere moments, something odd happened. In a bright flash, Sora's clothes changed from their black tone to a fiery red. Instead of a single Keyblade in his hands, he had two. As confused by this sudden change as he was, Sora didn't take the time to question things. Instead he thrust his two Keyblades at Pete's stomach and knocked him back. **

OooOooh. Looks like Sora gets to drive in this next chapter. Anyway, please leave a nice review as usual. I look forward to your comments as always.


	10. Revelations and Heartless Troubles

Well, I said I'd upload this a few days ago, but… I had some problems IRL, so, I just didn't have the will to post. Anywho, in this chapter, we actually get to see Pete and stuff, though Maleficent will show up next chapter with a differed role than in KH2. Now, some of you may be all "Huh?" about Zexion at the moment… but he's supposed to be confusing, for now, at least. I have plans for him, as well as a few other COM nobodies.

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Chapter 7: Revelations and Heartless Troubles

WHAM! With a thud, Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves landing face down on the floor of some random house. For a moment, the trio remained still, simply waiting for their heads to stop spinning. After all, the door back in Timeless River had sorta, well, THROWN them into this place. The wooden floor surely wasn't comforting, anyway. Dizzily, Sora lifted himself up a bit, now eying his surroundings. From the computer on the far end of the room to the group of familiar faces filling the premises, nobody could deny that this was indeed Merlin's house. But, if the Keybearer and his two obscure friends had ended up in said house… that meant that they were in Hollow Bastion!

As Donald and Goofy also came to their senses, the first thing they saw was Sora himself wearing a pleased smirk. For whatever reason, the spiky haired teen was enjoying himself for reasons unknown… well, at least to the poultry mage and his clumsy pal. While the three sat down for a moment, passing strange stares, the sound of footsteps could be heard from behind. Quickly, the three heroes about faced, only to find the merry, whimsical wizard known as Merlin in their presence. Now, Merlin was the type to wear large blue robes along with a magic hat. His snow colored beard dangled clear down to the floor, showing that he was very old and wise.

"I see that you've made yourselves at home on my floor," joked the wizard, wearing a pleasant expression.

It had been over a year since the Keybearer and his partners had seen Merlin, not that they had known the length of time that had passed. Either way, though, it had been quite a while since they last encountered the magical man and the rest of the Hollow Bastion gang, for that matter. Donald and Goofy were quick to get up to their feet and greet the wizard, with Sora hurrying behind. It was about time they reached this world!

"Merlin!" exclaimed Sora, Donald, and Goofy, all at once. Clearly they were all enjoying this little reunion.

With a smile, the wizard continued to speak. "Now, you're probably wondering how you got out of that strange world. Well, let's just say that your Queen told me about the Gummi accident, and, I did a little magic."

So it had been Merlin who sent the door to Timeless River? Well, that wasn't too surprising, since the man was an expert in the skills of all things magical. Plus, the fact that Sora and co had been rescued in the first place was a reassuring fact. Anyway, soon after his little explanation, the wizard was joined by two more familiar faces, namely, Yuffie and Leon. The ninja herself, AKA Yuffie, was her typical hyper self from that cocky smirk on her face, to the way she spoke. Then there was the party pooper you all know as Squall Leonheart. As usual, he kept a stern expression that showed little to no remorse. Of course, Sora and his friends knew that under his serious exterior, Leon wasn't a bad guy at all. He just had, well, his own way of doing things.

Upon glancing at Sora, Leon simply shook his head and sighed. Ever since Roxas had shown his face, the seventeen year old had a strange feeling that Sora would pop by. Plus, there was the fact that heartless and nobodies were swarming as of late. All this hubbub and chaos would surely lure the Keybearer to the scene at some point. And then there was Roxas. He claimed to be a friend of Sora's and all, but when he had brought up the castle and Ansem, something just seemed… odd. But, right now, the only thing important to Squall was asking about Roxas, the oh-so-suspicious 'acquaintance' of Sora.

"So…" muttered Leon, giving Sora and odd glare, "some kid popped by earlier. The funny thing is, he had a keyblade… and he claimed to be a friend of yours. I think his name was Roxas. You know him?"

Right there was the confirmation Sora needed. Right when Leon brought up Roxas, the Keybearer KNEW, for sure, that his dreams had been solid fact. Everything just seemed to be going perfectly for the fifteen year old at the moment. Not only had he reached Hollow Bastion and got to see old friends, but now Sora could actually ask about this strange kid who claimed to be a friend. An eerily happy gleam could be seen on his visage, as the spiky haired teen prepared to question Leon and the others about this blondey with an aura of mystery.

So, with a smirk, Sora replied to Leon, saying, "Do I know him? Well, kinda… You see, about a day ago, I had this weird dream about someone about my age named Roxas. He came here and fought along side you against the heartless. I just wonder HOW he knows me…"

"Hmm…" muttered Leon, running his fingers through his semi-long hair, "I'll tell you what, Sora. If I see Roxas again, I'll be sure to have a word with him. Sound good?"

Quietly, Sora gave his solemn friend a nod. ANY more info on Roxas would be good. All the Keybearer wanted, really, was to know more about the boy who haunted his dreams, who just happened to have a claim that he somehow knew him. This was mostly because Sora didn't recall ever running into this stranger, nor had he ever heard of him before that dream. Luckily, he had run into someone who had actually had a run in with Roxas, so at least there was a slight chance of getting more information in the future.

Now that Leon had gotten a response from Sora, it was time for the real business. Sure, finding info on strange blonde haired teenagers was fine and dandy, but what about all the danger done to Hollow Bastion? With the minor stuff now taken care of, Leon and Yuffie motioned Sora, Donald, and Goofy towards the computer screen at the far end of the room. There were no objections at all from the trio, who simply trekked over to the monitor. On the screen was a simple map of the town. However, certain areas were colored in red and labeled 'danger zones'. Such places were the dark depths and the ravine trail. Safe zones were colored in blue, though it seemed that these were much fewer in numbers. For, as opposed to the various red zones, only the Borough and the Market Place were considered threat less.

"G-Gawrsh," stuttered Goofy in amazement, his eyes open wide. "This place is kinda different…"

"Y-yeah…" Sora concurred, also quite amazed at the changes.

This diagram was of much interest to the Keybearer and his animaloid comrades. No, it wasn't because of pretty colors or anything, but rather, because it really showed how much the world had changed since the trio's last visit. Last time, there was only the castle left, but now, an actual TOWN existed. Leon's gang must have done a massive amount of work to fix the place. As the three gazed upon the map, Yuffie quickly pressed some buttons, which made an assortment of images. Most of them showed a variety of areas in the town being damages by heartless and a few of those nobody things. Pulsating swarms of the black shadow-like beasts could be seen in these stills, and it seemed that even with the two safety zones, there was far more danger. True, the world had improved, but one could still consider it a sanctuary for all things dark and dismal.

Yuffie gave a sigh. Though she was usually cocky and hyperactive, the ninja was not easily wooed by the sight of her home being constantly shrouded in the shadows, so to speak. "This is what happens when the Keybearer isn't around for a while…" she said in a lugubrious tone. "We've been trying to make Hollow Bastion the way it used to be, but it's not exactly easy."

Nodding in agreement, Leon added on, "You could say that Hollow Bastion has a problem… a BIG one at that. That's why we need you three. As you know, the heartless have a great fear of the Keyblade, which you, Sora, can use to your advantage. Donald and Goofy are just as important, though. After all, even the Keybearer can't handle all the heartless on his own."

"So, do you know why the heartless are back?" Sora asked, quite curious about the notion. "I thought that after we sealed the door to darkness, they'd be toast." Both Leon and Yuffie shook their heads as if upset. Apparently, things weren't as straightforward as just sealing a huge door.

"I wish it were that easy," groaned Leon as if annoyed. "The heartless are still around because… well, let me explain it in a simple way. You see, we all have darkness in our hearts, even you three." He paused for a moment, taking a glance at Sora and co before continuing, "It's impossible to get rid of the darkness in every heart, so that's why the heartless are back. I guess you could say that they're… eternal."

That last word made a huge lump form in Sora's throat. If the heartless were eternal, did that mean that his job as Keybearer would never cease? Would every victory just lead to another tiring struggle? All that Sora wanted now was to return to his carefree life back on Destiny Islands, but here he stood, absorbing all this news. "So…" he moaned, now not very thrilled about his heroic position, "does that mean that I'll always be fighting?"

"Oh, buck up Sora!" exclaimed Goofy before clear answer could be given from Leon. The oversized canine, as usual, wore a pleasurable expression as he made his way towards the Keybearer. "Even if you're fighting, you'll always have your pals by your side, A-hyuck!" Really, Goofy was right. No matter what trauma ensued, Sora would always have his friends sticking up for him. That was all that really mattered.

Goofy's statement brought a smile to Sora's face. Sometimes it really paid to have him and Donald around, even if it sometimes led to trouble. Plus, being optimistic sure beat being a sour apple, so to speak. Anyway, tired of all this chatter, Leon made his way towards the door, his gunblade in hand. Whatever he intended on doing probably had something to do with the heartless swarms. "Come on," he said, motioning Sora and the others to follow him. "It's time I had a word with you three… outside."

Somewhat confused, the Keybearer and his comrades had no other choice but to follow Squall, who was already out the door. It figured as much, though, since Leon wasn't exactly patient all the time. So, with Sora in the lead, the trio trekked out the door, where Leon stood, leaning against one of the buildings. The look on his face wasn't a pleasing one, but, then again, all this heartless business wasn't a comforting notion. "Ok, guys, here's what's been going on since you defeated Ansem…" he announced as Donald and Goofy scampered in front of Sora before making themselves comfortable. "You see," explained Leon, heaving another sigh, "after the worlds became disconnected, everything was back to normal… at first. People here decided to restore the town, since the crisis with the heartless had ended, though a few shadows pop up from time to time. However, this peace didn't last…

"Sooner or later, these strangers in black cloaks started popping up out of nowhere. They didn't really do much, other than ask some questions about the heartless and Ansem. Still, nobody knew where these guys came from, and surely they weren't residents of this world. Later on, the heartless started showing up again. This didn't shock us at first, since they were just the local variety. At first, they were in small numbers and were easily dealt with, but as the weeks went by, their ranks kept increasing. Soon, there were thousands of heartless popping up with no end. We couldn't take them all, and many people lost their hearts. Something told me that not all of these heartless were locals, and that something had allowed outsiders in. Luckily, we were able to install defense systems at one point, but it only helped slightly. At least we were able to protect the Borough and the Marketplace, but the castle and the rest of Hollow Bastion could be considered a cesspool for all things dark and treacherous.

"Later on, we learned that the strangers in black were called nobodies, and they were the ones who let the heartless into Hollow Bastion. Not only did they find a way to unleash mass amounts of heartless into whatever world they pleased, but they also sent their weaker nobodies to prevent too much interference. And, you know what?" Leon then paused, pointing towards Sora, who gave a confused expression. "I think they're after you."

So, the Organization had been in Hollow Bastion? How was that supposed to work? And, what was even more peculiar was that, for whatever reason, they kept most people from fighting off the heartless by using their weaker flunkies? That wasn't good. The way things were going, it was almost as if Organization XIII was turning Hollow Bastion into a breeding ground for heartless!

Sora, Donald, and Goofy shifted uncomfortably. While they were snoozing for who knows how long, the worlds were becoming invaded and disturbed by creeps in black. Couldn't the villains ever do something relaxing like have a picnic? "So, you're sayin' that those Organization XIII fellers are letting heartless in, but keeping everyone else away from the danger zones?"

"Exactly," Leon replied. "And that's the problem. If they keep this up, even the defense systems won't help. Honestly, I'm worried about what they plan on doing with all those heartless." Nods were the response that Sora and his friends gave. If the Organization ever decided to unleash all the heartless at once, just for an example, the results would be catastrophic. Imagine thousands of heart hungry beasts being sent upon a residential area with no way to fight back, and you'd get an idea of the dilemma.

"So, what should we do?" asked Sora, now oozing with worry. From the way Leon had described things, most of Hollow Bastion was an ocean of darkness, and surely it'd take more than a meager effort to deal with each and every heartless. Heck, the way things sounded, it would take a miracle to wipe the whole area clean.

Leon quickly moved away from the wall and put his gunblade in a ready position. "What we have to do," he explained, "is go deeper into Hollow Bastion, where the nobodies are standing guard. If we can take down some of the heartless swarms, then that should be a decent start. I'll lead the way." Quiet, yet swiftly, Leon rounded a corner, holding his weapon in case of an ambush. Behind him was Sora, carrying his keyblade, followed by Donald and Goofy, who were also prepared for anything. Soon, they reached and alley, which led to higher ground.

Without saying a word, Leon made his ascent to the bridge above. It really didn't require much effort or skill to reach the top, since the path was pretty linear. Upon reaching the top, he motioned for Sora and the others to follow. As they did, though, the trio felt somewhat uneasy. The place had been too quiet for its own good, even if it WAS a safety zone. Plus, they were getting pretty close to the danger zones now, and nobodies could easily pop out of nowhere.

When everyone was safely on the bridge, Leon prepared to give another warning. "As soon as we path through the gate over there, things might get a little messy," he whispered. "Stay alert. For all we know, Organization XIII could have sent one of their members to keep watch." Squall silently began to step through the gate, clenching his gunblade tightly. He knew that it was best to prepare for the worst, due to the harsh nature that Hollow Bastion currently bore. Whether heartless or nobodies were to jump out unexpectedly, it didn't matter. The only thing of importance now was the fact that the danger zones were an abyss of darkness, swelling and pulsating in disgusting ways.

Nervously, the Keybearer and his two partners followed behind, ready for whatever cretins were to strike. Having experience against the heartless, the three had an added edge, but at the same time, Leon had mentioned THOUSANDS of the pests along with nobody guards. Now, inside the pathway, it was actually rather quiet. Not even a single dusk could be seen. This perplexed Leon at first, since usually; the dusks would be blocking any entry into the area. "That's odd…" he muttered, taking a quick look around. "It's like they WANTED us to get in…"

"Maybe we should keep going?" suggested Sora with a shrug. With no enemies in the vicinity, there was no reason for hanging around, anyway. Plus, there was a BETTER chance for ambush if they all remained in place. Out of both options, really, moving on was the more intelligent choice. Leon was the first to respond by simply trudging on forward, silently at that. Being a Hollow Bastion resident, he probably knew already that lying in wait would lead to trouble at its finest.

With no other choice, Sora and his flunkies followed Leon closely behind, once again preparing for any sudden assaults. Each step was taken with caution, and eyes were ever alert. The walk through this narrow path still remained silent, though, and not a single shadow or dusk made an appearance. Only the quiet breeze kept this place from being eerily silent. Soon, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were beginning to grow tired of this continuous ambling without any enemies to thrash. What was the point of all this, if there weren't any pests to exterminate?

This question was no sooner answered, as, out of the blue; a rustling sound could be heard. Instantly, the foursome came to a pause, instantly drawing their weapons. Unfortunately, nothing happened, at least, not right away. Oddly, though there was a strange sound, nothing jumped out from behind a corner, or even dug through the ground. From the looks of things, the rustle could have very well been an illusion. But, suddenly, there was another sound. This time, it sounded like an angered grumble. Sora turned his head to the others to see if they knew what was up, but their responses were simple shrugs.

All at once, this tranquility shifted and became something war worse. A sudden rumble shook the ground, and, in the distance, as distressed shriek could be heard. Out of nowhere came what appeared to be an overweight canine of some kind, wearing an outfit with zippers all over. His fur was black, and his muzzle was a peach color. Surely he was a stranger, but, at the same time, he looked incredibly familiar. Behind him were several angry dusks, whirling around, contorting in various ways. Even an innocent bystander could see that this guy had entered the dusks' domain without giving things a second thought.

"Is that…" Sora pondered, "PETE?!" As the canine clad in zippers slowly but surely came closer into view, the Keybearer was becoming even surer that this weirdo was INDEED Pete. The same Pete who had steamboat obsessions back in Timeless River. Sora wanted to help Pete out, since he didn't realize how he had changed since the past, but when he tried to dart towards the dusks, he was blocked by a very worried Donald and Goofy.

"SORA!" squawked Donald, waving his staff about. "Pete's changed since you saw him back in the past. He's siding with the darkness!" Sora instantly stopped after hearing Donald's little warning. Not even a question was given just to make sure his feathered comrade was even correct. Something just told him that Donald was correct, since he knew Pete better than a mere teenager from Destiny Islands.

"Come on," Leon interrupted. "With the dusks handling this weirdo, we can make it to the heartless mobs with no difficulty." He motioned the trio to follow behind all before darting off. Clearly this was a good opportunity to get by, since the little guards were busy, but something STILL didn't seem right about this. In here, there were only two dusks, but, surely the Organization was smart enough to block the path with more than THAT meager quantity.

Sora continued to stand in place even after Leon's little warning. In his mind, he knew that there was more to this than simple coincidence. Earlier, he had been told that the Org. might be after him for whatever reason, so maybe that was the reason for the lack of security in this pathway. As he stood there, Pete continued to advance, still being chased by the irate nobodies. Rather annoyed, Donald tried tugging at his shorts, but Sora simply shrugged it off, saying, "I think we should stay here… there's something I want to check… you know, just to be safe."

"But what about Pete and the nobodies?" pondered Goofy. "If we just stay here, we could end up fightin'…"

"We'll end up fighting either way," Sora reminded him. "I just want to see something real fast." There was no sense arguing with Sora after that. Whenever he put his mind to something, the kid was hard to sway. So, there he stood, awaiting the dusks and Pete to come close. He was ready for any possible onslaught from these enemies, and not even a glimmer of fear shone in his eyes.

Pete was now about two yards away from the small squad of heroes. When the sight of these foes hit his eyes, the obese canine got a sudden impulse to halt. His large arms swung forward when his body froze so suddenly, and he failed to notice the two dusks smacking right towards his back. "Well," bellowed the zipper loving Pete, a maniacal smirk forming on his visage. "Look what the King dragged in. If it aint the little squad of wannabe heroes." Behind him, the two dusks simply waved around in place. It was as if the sight of Sora had changed their intentions.

"What are YOU doin' here?!" hissed Donald, frantically waving his staff. Just the sight of Pete irked the fowl, who was incredibly loyal to the King.

"Why," replied the obese canine, still wearing that sinister expression, "I was just followin' Maleficent's orders." He turned his head towards Sora and snarled angrily. "No thanks to you, she became mincemeat, but some fellas in black coats brought her back. Now we're gonna rule all the worlds thanks to the heartless. The cloaked freaks said so themselves." With that, he wore a smug grin and crossed his arms. In the deranged mind of Pete, there was no loss and victory was intimate.

One could easily see that Pete had changed since the time of Timeless River. He had gone from a simple steamboat captain to a villain who was ever loyal to the darkness. Even with this change, however, he still wasn't very bright. No, Pete had a heavy load of self confidence, which could very well lead to his downfall. After all, it had led to Maleficent's demise. Anyway, as Pete stood pat, gaily speaking in monologue, the dusks simply vanished, leaving the hefty canine alone with his foes.

Donald was about to burst at the sight of the traitor. His body shook in haste, and his staff was at the ready to cast some nasty spells. A furious gleam shone through his eyes, and it was plain to see that this duck was a force to be reckoned with. Although Goofy wasn't pleased either, he remained calm, but ever vigilant. One false move from Pete, and the shield would be put to full use. Then there was Sora, who may not have known what to expect from Pete, but he knew that things could end up going down hill. All in all, the trio was prepared for whatever was sure to ensue.

"Looks like you three aint up to no good," continued Pete, getting in a ready position. "In that case, I think it's time we had ourselves a little rumble." Rubbing his hands together, the canine clad in zippers prepared to make his strike. In less than an instant, he made a lunge towards Donald, grabbing the duck by the neck. The strength of his grip was incredible, and the fowl wasn't even able to counter attack. Seconds later, Pete released his grip, flinging Donald right at the stone wall.

_WHAM! _The fowl hit with an incredible amount of pressure. He sat there, on the ground, dizzily, moaning in pain. The sight of this made Sora cringe, and in an attempt to get back at Pete, he charged at full force, swinging his Keyblade hastily. Behind him was Goofy, who also was angered by this rashness with his close comrade. Sadly, Pete was able to jump out of the way in the nick of time, making his two foes bump into the wall behind him. For someone who wasn't that bright, Pete sure knew how to handle combat.

Sora and Goofy passed concerned glances. Even though he didn't look like much, Pete was indeed a problem that needed to be dealt most in the most superlative manor. With Donald still dizzy from being flung so vigorously, the two had to work on their own to handle their enemy. So, once again, the two charged towards their adversary. Using magic, Sora shot three balls of blazing fire right towards the overweight canine's rump. This time, the attack actually, hit, as Pete began bounding around in pain from the flames. Unfortunately, though, it didn't really hinder him, and yet again, Pete flung himself for an assault.

It was sheer luck that Sora and Goofy were able to narrowly escape being crushed by Pete's oversized belly. Luckily, due to their small size, the two were rather swift. As Pete had flung himself in their direction, both Sora and Goofy did a quick somersault in the opposite direction, causing the massive fiend of sorts to bump into one of the stone walls. Exhausted from all this darting, Sora struggled to stand pat. Magic didn't appear to do much to Pete's exterior, but a full out assault could prove risky. However, just standing there made the Keybearer and easy target. Even if risky, Sora decided that he had to do SOMETHING.

So, there he was, charging head on in Pete's direction, Keyblade in hand. Just as he was inches away from the obese canine, Pete finally snapped out of his dizziness, only to notice his foe about to strike. Luckily for Sora, he was quick enough to club Pete in his 'manliness', so to speak. Excruciating pain shot through Pete's lower region, and he remained stunned long enough for Sora to nail a few more blows. Once that was said and done, he made his retreat towards Goofy, who was starting to shake and twitch for reasons unknown.

"Hey Goofy," Sora said, poking his friend on the shoulder, "is something wrong?" Oddly enough, even after being poked, Goofy didn't respond. Instead he just continued shaking. This worried Sora because he had never seen his pal behave like this before. What made things worse is that Donald was still out cold after being chucked against the wall earlier, and with Goofy frozen in shock, Sora would have to take on Pete alone.

Sure enough, this little Goofy distraction had given Pete enough time to recover, and now the behemoth was heading in Sora's direction. Rage swelled up in his entire being, and for someone his size, that was incredibly dangerous. By the time Sora realized that Goofy wasn't going to move, Pete was already flying in his direction. He braced himself for the impact, clutching his Keyblade tightly. But, when it seemed like the two beings would clash in mere moments, something odd happened. In a bright flash, Sora's clothes changed from their black tone to a fiery red. Instead of a single Keyblade in his hands, he had two. As confused by this sudden change as he was, Sora didn't take the time to question things. Instead he thrust his two Keyblades at Pete's stomach and knocked him back.

Before making another move against Pete's might, the Keybearer tried to locate Goofy. Strangely enough, however, the canine defender was out of sight. Nevertheless, time was of the essence, and defeating Pete was of utmost importance at the moment. Brushing the rubble off of his head, Pete once again charged towards Sora, ready to strike, but the Keybearer was just as prepared. Twirling both Keyblades like helicopter blades, Sora was all the ready to collide with his foe.

_CHING! _Both beings clashed. While Pete tried to force his opponent against the wall, Sora fought back using his two weapons. For whatever reason, the Keybearer was actually able to stand up against Pete's raw power. As the two pushed up against each other, they both yearned for victory. However, neither of them were getting anywhere by trying to force the other to the floor. Sora saw this and lowered his weapons for a moment before hurrying to the side.

_WHAM! _This sudden maneuver caused Pete to fall face down on the floor. He didn't even have time to get back to his feet before he was clubbed in the back by two oversized keys. Again the obese canine tried to get up, only to be clubbed for a second, and then third time. Sora was totally whipping Pete like crazy! Simply by knocking the brute to the ground, the spiky haired teen was able to find a weak spot and gain the upper hand. Soon, Pete was bruised all over his back side.

"Enough!" moaned the burly villain. "You win, I lose! Just make it stop!" After being clubbed several times, Pete was in terrible condition. Though his clothes and fur covered any bruises, it was clear by his moaning that he had been beat. Realizing this, Sora lowered his weapons and backed away from his adversary. Relief then shone across the canine's visage, as he got back to his feet, panting heavily. Now that he was in no condition to fight, nor was he in the mood. Instead, he darted off in the opposite direction, fearing another beating from the Keybearer.

With Pete out of the way, Sora made his way towards his injured friend, AKA, Donald. Little did he realize, he had changed back to his normal state, black clothes and all. From all the power he had used against Pete, there was none left. Behind the Keybearer, stood a VERY puzzled Goofy, who was simply scratching his head in bafflement. "Gawrsh," he grumbled, quite dizzily at that, "What happened? Wasn't that Pete feller in here?"

Sora came to a pause, immediately facing his ludicrous compadre. "Goofy!" he exclaimed, a smirk on his face. Sora's response from the defender was nothing short of a puzzled glance. Clearly he had no idea as to what had happened just moments before. "Well, anyway," continued the Keybearer, "while we were fighting Pete, you sorta… vanished. It was really weird, but right after you disappeared, I got two Keyblades and was able to beat that weirdo."

"You don't say," alleged Goofy in a very interested tone. "So, how's Donald doin'?"

Both of them faced the bruised and beaten fowl, who was just starting to recuperate. Sora gave a shrug, seeing that Donald was at least in decent condition. It was quite surprising, though, since the plucky mage had been chucked at the wall with such great force. One would expect the duck to have sprained something or broken a bone, but none of that was to be seen. Nope, the furious feathered magician of sorts was not in dangerous condition at all.

"I think," Sora muttered, "he's ok. But, I'm sure that when he sees Pete again, he'll go insane." He paused for a moment, realizing what he had just said and pictured the whole idea in his mind. Just to see the squatty poultry mage go all crazy on that pompous Pete would be classic. "Yep," added the spiky haired teenager, "I can see that." Amused by Sora's thought, Goofy quietly sniggered. In truth, he too could see the fowl going all wacko on Pete. Donald WAS the type to go all rambunctious, after all.

With a groan, said duck finally began to stir. His head was spinning, and confusion filled the air around him. At first, his vision was quite blurry with spots of color everywhere. In short, even though he wasn't in bad shape, the fowl still wasn't feeling great. Now, when Donald's vision finally began to clear, the first thing he saw was his two friends snickering amongst themselves. Seeing this, the injured bird sprung to his webbed feet and squawked, "Hey, what's the big idea?!" In an instant, Sora and Goofy stopped their little fun, knowing that Donald was bound to explode with anger if his fuse were lit, so to speak.

"Gawrsh, Donald," Goofy sighed, "looks like you really took a beatin' from that Pete fella." Angrily, the feathered fuse box gave a grunt before hitting the clumsy canine right on the knee with his staff. Pain surged up Goofy's knee, and he was quick to give a yelp.

"Don't even get me started with Pete!" Donald hissed. "GAH!" Stomping mad, the poultry mage continued his little rant. His feathers were red with anger, and it seemed as if he were gonna blow. Carefully, Sora and Goofy kept their distance, knowing that when he lost his temper, Donald was a dangerous force. After a few minutes of angry ranting along with a few thunder spells being cast on the walls, the fowl finally stopped his squabbling. Panting, he asked, "So, where's Leon?"

"He left, remember?" Sora replied. "But, now that Pete's out of the way, we should find him." Both Donald and Goofy nodded in agreement at this notion. For all they knew, Leon could be in serious trouble with all the heartless out there. Then there were those dusk guards to take into account. All in all, it was best that they headed to the other end of the tunnel.

The rest of the walk through the tunnel was all but silent. No dusks or heartless even bothered to show their faces. Only the sounds of footsteps could be heard for the few minutes that it took to advance through the musty terrain. Even with the lack of enemies, the trio kept their guards up. After all, an ambush could happen at any time, and it was best to be prepared. Finally, they reached the other side of the tunnel. The terrain was now rocky and rough. They could easily see that the whole area was quite damaged, most likely due to heartless.

Down below, the three could see a familiar figure. Judging by the gunblade clenched in his grasp along with the jacket he wore, it had to be Leon. Though it was hard to see him from their distance, Sora and his lackeys could easily see that Squall was crouching down as if he were injured. Quickly, Sora, Donald, and Goofy made their way towards their seemingly injured comrade. The walk—err, run wasn't a long one. More or less, the trio just had to reach lower ground. As they descended, a few heartless jumped out of nowhere. Each of them was a mere shadow, and there were only about five. Rather annoyed, the three heroes took out these little pests with little effort.

Upon reaching Leon, the Keybearer and his pals found the seventeen year old to be quite aggravated. Sweat coursed down his visage, and he was breathing heavily. Judging by his tattered clothes, Leon had been in quite a quarrel. Most likely, he had been mobbed by many heartless at once, probably large ones at that. Eyeing Sora, and his abstract animal buds, Squall snarled, "YOU. I told you three not to waste time. Because you just HAD to deal with that nimrod, Pete, I faced THIRTY heartless on my own… Wyverns and Air Soldiers at that…" Angrily, he pulled himself to his feet and, though limping, made his way closer to the threesome. "If that's not enough," he added, "I was ambushed by Organization XIII."

Sora edged back slightly. Something told him that Leon wasn't exactly in the best spirits right now. Seeing the rage gleam from his face along with his weapon clenched tightly in his grip was enough proof for the Keybearer that things weren't going to be pretty. From the looks of things, dealing with Pete wasn't even a wise idea. Frowning, Sora realized that he had left Leon in grave danger. "Leon… look, I'm sorry," he crooned. "It's just… Pete could have---"

"I. Don't. Care." Snarled Squall, lifting up his gunblade, "Next time, follow orders, and you won't have to deal with THIS!" Instantly, the gunblade was thrust towards Sora's face. In shock, the Keybearer winced, expecting an incredibly painful blow to befall him. It was only a few seconds later that he realized nothing had harmed him. There wasn't even a tinge of blood dripping coursing from his skin. Slowly, he opened his eyes, only to find that Leon was gone.

For some reason, there was something wrong about this situation. Even Donald and Goofy exchanged mystified glances with their spiky haired comrade. Neither of them could put a finger on it, but for whatever reason, Leon had vanished almost instantly. Not a single trace could be found from the ground to the damaged rubble in the surrounding area. Puzzled, the trio just gave up on the matter when footsteps could be heard in the distance. Turning around, they could see a familiar form edging their way. Judging by the height, attire, and gunblade clenched in his grip, it could only be Leon. But, something was off about this. Not one scratch showed up on his face, other than his scar, while his clothes weren't even slightly tattered.

Upon reaching Sora and co, instead of grimacing, Squall just heaved a sigh. How strange it was that he would go from being beaten and aggravated to his normal self. It was almost as if there had been two different Leons or something. Even more bewildered than before, Sora couldn't help but stare at his ally. Unlike a few minutes ago, Leon didn't seem a tad aggressive or mad at the three for ditching him. In fact, he wasn't even too surprised.

"So," said Leon, crossing his arms, "it looks like you three made it out ok. I almost went back for you, but, I figured that you could handle things." Quietly, he put away his gunblade before continuing. "Anyway, nothing too exciting happened while you were in the tunnel. I took on a few small swarms of shadows, but that's about it. A few dusks and some shadows attacked, but they were easily taken care of."

"Wait!" Donald interrupted. "What's the big idea? A few seconds ago you hated us!" Feathers ruffled; again, the poultry mage was quite tempted to cast a nasty spell on Leon, such as blizzard. Anything nasty would show the guy not to threaten Sora, at least in Donald's perspective. Leon, on the other hand, was quite confused. What Donald had accused him of doing just seemed so… out of character for him. If anything, he doubted the duck's statement.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Squall replied. "You were probably just imagining things." Stroking his fingers through his medium length hair, he added, "Anyway, I handled enough heartless swarms for now, even though there's plenty deeper down. We'll just put any more extermination on hold. You three should head back to Merlin's house, anyway." With that, Leon trudged off towards the borough, leaving Sora and his pals with only one real choice… and that was to follow.

Though the trio was disappointed about missing any real action, they agreed that dealing with Pete was a good move. Had they not, the blabbering buffoon may not have leaked any information on Maleficent and the Organization. True, slaying heartless was important as well, but, like Leon said, things could easily be put off. As of now, dealing with the mysterious organization was the real problem. For one, they seemed to have complete control over Hollow Bastion, and possibly other worlds. Not only could they command their own weaker nobodies, but heartless as well. This meant double the ranks at least. Plus, Maleficent was back.

"So," Goofy pondered, scratching his head, "You think we should be headin' back towards the Borough?" Both Sora and Goofy nodded in agreement at this notion. After all, staying in the danger zone would only make the three possible bait for heartless or dusks, and that was no good.

So, with everything said and done, the Keybearer, the poultry mage, and the clumsy canine all headed back towards the tunnel. Weapons were still clutched in their grasp, of course, just in case any sudden ambushes occurred. After all, this was still a danger zone, as desolate as it was. As the trio slowly faded into the distance, however, they failed to notice a short cloaked figure standing atop some of the rubble with a stick in his hand. Quietly, this figure removed the hood of his cloak, revealing the face of none other than Zexion.

"_Heh..."_ he hissed in delight. "_It seems that my little illusion worked well enough… If it weren't for that fool, Leon_ _coming in at such an odd moment… perhaps things would have been more… interesting. No matter…enough playing with the boy's mind… it's time that I put phase two into action…" _Swiftly, Zexion flung the stick towards the ground. Upon making impact, the twig split in two pieces. With a snicker, he turned around and added, "_Soon everything will be perfect…"_ Content, the cloaked schemer snapped his fingers, creating a dark portal, and he stepped inside.

_**Merlin's House**_

Back at Merlin's place, everything was going well. Upon their return from the danger zone, Sora and his pals had been greeted by more familiar faces. Cid stood in front of the large computer screen from before with a twig in his mug and his typical smirk. Apparently, being the Gummi expert that he is, he was able to repair any damages from the explosion. Along with Cid was Aeris, who was her usual cheery self. Yuffie and Merlin were also in the room like before, but Leon was nowhere to be seen. Either way, hugs, greetings, and all that fancy stuff were exchanged between the heroes and their comrades that hadn't seen in a whole year.

"So," Cid said with a beaming expression, "Your ship must have been in one doozie of a wreck. You shoulda seen the mess I went through to fix 'er up." Both Sora and Donald inched back a bit at this statement. If they hadn't had their little quarrel then perhaps Cid wouldn't have needed to go through the trouble of fixing said vehicle. Still, the three were quite lucky to know a Gummi engineer of such high status. Otherwise, the three could have easily remained stuck in Hollow Bastion for quite some time.

"Anyway," added the skilled Gummi builder, "I reckon you three should be moseying on now. Can't let the Organization have a head start, can we?"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy each heaved a heavy sigh. They had only been in Hollow Bastion for a few hours at most, and already there were having to leave. However, Cid brought up a good point. Organization XIII had to be a powerful force, if they could take control of the Town and Castle, fill it with heartless, and prevent most resistance. For all they knew, said group of Nobodies could have done similar things to other worlds, meaning trouble.

"Well," Goofy whimpered, "I guess we should be headin' out then." Clearly he, and the others, was rather dismayed at the thought of having to leave so soon, but they could always visit again. "See ya soon!"

"Yeah," Sora added, putting his arms behind his head. "We still haven't gotten a chance to take on those swarms! Anyway, see ya." Before heading to the door, Sora was sure to wave goodbye to his pals from HB. It would probably be a while before he would see them again, but either way, when he and his two buds returned, they'd be sure to get some action. Once all the goodbyes were taken care off, the three headed outside, only to be followed by Leon.

"Your Gummi Ship should be around the corner," he explained. Quietly, the three nodded and again headed out, only to be interrupted yet again. Obviously, Leon hadn't finished speaking to the trio, as he grabbed Sora by the arm and added, "Be careful out there. A lot of things have changed since you three beat Ansem, and your journey will be a lot more dangerous."

"Alright," answered the cocky Keybearer. "Thanks for the tip." Sora wasn't exactly too worried. Sure, these new foes were a lot tougher than anything he had ever faced before, but as long as he had his friends, none of that would matter. With Donald, Goofy, and his other buds by his side, there was no way the darkness would triumph! Thinking of all that reassured him, as he headed inside the Gummi ship, he knew that no matter what, he'd pull through.

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_**The World that Never Was **_

_Tap. Tap. Tap. _In the Castle that Never was, Xemnas, superior of Organization XIII impatiently sat in his throne. Even though it is said that nobodies like him lacked emotion, it was clear that through his behavior, the superior was getting quite restless from all this waiting. Saix, number VII in the Org, was supposed to have returned hours ago with the deceased members Marluxia, Larxene, Vexen, and Lexaeus. At one point, Xemnas had counted Zexion on the list as well, but clearly, his assumptions had been proven incorrect. Perhaps Saïx had encountered troubles back in the Underworld, since dealing with the lord of the dead wasn't exactly easy. Or maybe, the formerly deceased members weren't exactly fond of returning. Whatever the reason, it was enough to keep the Lunar Divine busy.

"_You know," _grunted a familiar voice, "_I would have expected something more… thrilling for my return." _Out of nowhere, a dark portal appeared, causing Xemnas to stir. Judging by the long blue locks, X shaped scar, and narrow eyes, Saïx had indeed returned from his mission. Instantly, the Superior stepped down from his throne to greet number VII. The two nobodies shared emotionless glances before engaging in a conversation.

"_So, you were successful?" _questioned Xemnas, a false look of curiosity beaming in his eyes.

Saïx shrugged. It was clear that number VII wasn't exactly satisfied with the results of his mission, if he could even feel satisfaction to begin with. "_Somewhat, my liege," _he replied. "_I could indeed recover Vexen, Lexaeus, Marluxia, and Larxene… but, for whatever reason, number VI was not among them." _

Saïx's response was nothing short of a sigh from number I. "_Actually, Zexion is with us. I just spoke to him recently, and he explained his long absence. It was quite intriguing, actually. It seems that boy was able to withstand Vexen's replica after all." _For a moment, the seventh member of the Organization pondered over what his superior had said. For whatever reason, he was surprised that Zexion hadn't been dead all this time. Of course, this awkward silence was soon interrupted by a rather agitated number VI.

"_I can't believe this!" _snarled the cloaked schemer barging through the door. Around his neck was a necklace made of flowers, and judging by the look on his face, he wasn't exactly pleased… if nobodies could even feel pleasure, that is. "_That fool, Marluxia… what purpose was there in bringing HIM back, Xemnas?" _It was blatantly clear that, for whatever reason, Zex hadn't had a very pleasant encounter with number XI of the Organization. Then again, Marluxia was peculiar.

Xemnas simply shook his head at his ally. "_I brought him back for the same reason Larxene, Lexaeus, and the others," _he explained. "_They'll prove quite useful in the long run when it comes to acquiring my precious Kingdom Hearts." _If he could even feel confidence, Xemnas clearly had much of it. One would wonder why and how traitors and deceased nobodies would help, but, there was more to the Superior's plans, so it seemed.

"_But Marluxia and Larxene… they're traitors!" _Zexion objected, sounding quite irate. His eyes seemed to burn with embers of frustration… though, that could have very well been false feelings. "_By bringing them back, you're putting Organization XIII in danger… How could that possibly prove useful?" _Even Saix was beginning to ponder about this notion. Only a year ago, Marluxia and Larxene had indeed made an attempt to betray Organization XIII. Who was to say that this time things wouldn't be different? It's not as if their personalities had changed since their deaths.

Slowly running his fingers through his hair, Xemnas muttered, "_It is true that numbers XI and XII were traitors. They had a goal to tamper with the memories of the Keybearer and use him as a tool to help them retaliate against us. Most likely, they still have the same ambition, but there is a difference: I'll be watching them very carefully. Despite being traitors, I have plans for those two along with Lexaeus, and Vexen. What those plans are shall remain confidential for the time being." _

Whatever it was that Xemnas had up his sleeves, it was likely to be worthwhile. After all, the Superior of Organization XIII was clearly no pushover. True, one couldn't help but be suspicious when it came to trusting traitors, but, Xemnas' mind worked in mysterious ways. He had pulled things this far, so of course he must have made a wide, albeit strange decision. Zexion shook his head, tossing the pathetic necklace of roses aside. He knew not to judge the superior's choices, and therefore, he was respectful, but the idea of trusting those he had considered fools seriously irked him.

"_Heh… Whatever it is you have in mind," _groaned the Cloaked Schemer with an air of reluctance in his voice, "…_I'm sure it's for the best, my superior… But, still, you can never be too careful with traitors… especially ones of Marluxia's level…Anyway… shall we move on to the next phase?" _

"_Very well, Zexion," _responded Xemnas in a monotonous grumble. "_Have your fun… but, this time, I'd like you to bring numbers XI and XII with you. I'm sure that they're just as eager as you to… play this little game." _In his eyes, there was a menacing glow, as the Superior gazed down at number VI. Though his glare wasn't as piercing as Zexion's, it was stern enough to show that he was quite serious about this charade. Whether or not the Cloaked Schemer would be able to tolerate this was of no importance.

Eyes narrow, Zexion growled, "_Very well…sir… I'll take the traitors with me…" _Whether or not he was truly irritated was left in the air, but either way, number VI's appearance showed that he was rather tense. Bringing Marluxia and Larxene, to him, was a waste of time and could prove quite dangerous, but it was no use to argue, once again. Doing so would likely lead to trouble, anyway. Instead, Zex slowly ambled towards a dark portal, muttering to himself as he went. Tolerating the two traitors would be neigh impossible, especially without anyone else to keep an eye on them… but, he had to. _All in due time… _he thought.

After Zex left the scene, Saïx turned to his Superior with a questioning glance. "_Xemnas," _he asked with a curious tone of voice, "_Just what ARE you planning? Will it help benefit our Kingdom Hearts?" _

Turning around, Xemnas replied, "_You'll see soon enough…" _

End of Chapter

**AN: **So, it's not my greatest, but it's not my worst. I consider it so-so. Mind you, I started writing it at the exact same time as chapter 5, so some info I may have overlooked... so I apologize for any inconsistencies. Next chapter may not be as long, by the way. It involves Riku, and some more Organization goodness, though. Chapter 9 is also in progress, but I won't spoil that quite yet. Anywho, reviews would GREATLY be appreciated, as I love constructive criticism.


	11. Within the Shadows

Yay! New chapter is ready. Mind you, this one is all about filling in some blanks and stuff. You will find that this truly is a turning point for this fan fiction, especially with the chapters that are to follow. Oh yes, I have plans… big plans. Also, I plan on finishing Chapter 9 tomorrow, which means another quick update. So, without further ago, let us begin the next chapter of Dual Destinies…

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Chapter 8: Within the Shadows

Deep in the shadows, Riku pondered over the strange letter he had received earlier. The message itself was written in a way that was illegible, sounding like pure drabble. Then again, King Mickey himself had said that the message had to be looked at from a 'different direction'. What that meant, he had no idea, but either way, it had to be the key to understanding the meaning. Totally and completely irritated by this, Riku decided to take another look at the message. Reaching into his cloak, he pulled out the tattered slip of paper, narrowing his eyes at the gibberish.

_Elituf si ti_

_Sruo eb lliw straeh modgnik_

_Straeh sesealer edalbyek eht_

_Sseltraeh syals ti emit yreve_

_Su gnipleh ylno era saxor dna aros_

_Pu evig_

_IIIX noitazinagro -_

From the looks of it, the message itself was written in some kind of code. What was notable about the whole thing is that the "IIIX" at the very bottom was clearly visible. When read backwards… it was "XIII"... So, at least that was a heads up. Still, Riku was rather puzzled by the message. At least this was a clue. _Another direction… _he thought to himself, _I wonder… _Quickly, he skimmed over the letter a second time, taking note of each word. Something was… strange about it. "IIIX Noitazinagro"… If the "IIIX" read backwards was "XIII", then perhaps the rest of the message was the same.

For a third time, Riku looked over the contents of the letter. However, this time, he did not read it forwards. No, after the little bit at the bottom, and the 'other direction', he was certain that the whole letter… was written backwards! Really, it made perfect sense. What a better way to throw someone off than to use backwards code? Actually, the sixteen year old felt rather stupid that he hadn't taken notice of this before. Things were starting to clear up, as the message had finally been deciphered.

_It is futile_

_Kingdom Hearts will be ours_

_The Keyblade releases hearts_

_Every time it slays heartless_

_Sora and Roxas are only helping us_

_Give up_

- _Organization XIII_

Knowing the meaning of the message, Riku threw the slip of paper towards the ground and stomped on it. The sound of paper being rumpled echoed through the dark alley before him. Fury coursed through his very being at the mere thought of the Org mocking him so. They claimed that everything had been futile, but, in truth, the silver haired boy just couldn't let himself believe such a notion. With Sora and his nobody out there, he felt that there was nothing to lose.

"I can't believe it…" he grumbled as the note became a wad of wrinkles. "The Organization sends some lousy message that's just MOCKING me? Hmph. What a waste of time." Agitated as he was, Riku said no more on the matter. Instead, he simply trudged off, quietly thinking to himself. The dark city that he had found himself in was rather monotone in color. Each of the buildings was black in color, with only the lights from within illuminating the area. Little light shone forth in this dismal plain besides those from the building, and the moon above that was shaped like an incomplete heart. There was little noise, spare Riku's footsteps along the paved ground.

For the next few minutes, Riku went about uninterrupted. During this time, he pondered over his best friend, namely Sora. Despite knowing that the Keybearer was alright, there was still this odd feeling that he could end up in quite a bit of danger. In fact, without Roxas, Sora had a far better chance of ending up in the Organization's clutches. However, Riku knew better than to hunt the nobody down and force fuse. Unlike DiZ, he still had sympathy.

The prolonged silence came to a close soon enough. As soon as Riku made it to Memory's Skyscraper, he stopped dead in his tracks. This place, just like the rest of the city was dark and dismal, with no sign of any life. Looking around, he found that nobody had been following him… or at least, that's what he thought. A slight tapping sound beamed from behind, meaning that… something – or someone, was heading his way. This assumption was proven correct just seconds later when an all too familiar voice echoed through the abyss.

"Well, if it isn't the squirt… didn't expect to see you here, kiddo," snickered an all too familiar red head. Yep, standing right behind Riku was none other than the Flurry of the Dancing Flames, namely, Axel. There was no mistaking the hot headed nobody, from his spiky red locks to that typical smirk. His eyes gleamed with amusement, as he stood, gazing upon Riku with false interest. How typical of number VIII.

Instantly, Riku whirled around, coming face to face with Axel. Of all the people he would have expected to bump into in this dump, why did it have to be _him_? From his cocky attitude to the constant "Got it memorized?", Axel wasn't exactly the choice nobody to deal with. Oh well, it wasn't like he was the most dangerous member around. Heck, most of the time, he was more playful than the other members, albeit a tad annoying at times. Of course, that didn't really matter much to Riku. Said sixteen year old was more focused on WHY Axel was out and about with no real reason.

"Axel…" Riku growled, quickly summoning the Soul Eater. Clearly, the silver haired teenager wasn't very pleased at the appearance at the fiery nobody. In fact, he was in a ready position just in case the hot head tried to pull any fast ones. After all, one could never be too careful when dealing with mister pyromaniac.

Simply shaking his head, Axel responded, "Tsk, tsk. Where _are_ your manners?" A wide grin spread across his face, as the nobody watched Riku become infuriated.

"Since when do you care about manners?" snapped the darkness consumed teenager. "You're with the Organization for crying out loud! All that matters to you is getting a heart." Narrowing his eyes, Riku was quite tempted to charge head first at Axel and give him a nice stab where his heart would be… that is, if he were human. Of course, being the sarcastic twat that he was, Axel didn't look even slightly intimidated. Instead, he just continued snickering at Riku's arrogance.

When Riku continued to tense up, Axel simply added, "Was, kid, was. I'm not with Organization XIII now. Got it memorized?" The look on Sora's pal's face at that exact moment could easily be considered priceless. First, he still looked as if he were nearly a heartless, and second, he was trying SO hard to look serious that he was actually twitching. Axel was scarcely able to avoid dying of laughter at this sight.

"Why should I trust you?" Riku gawked, now squatting with his weapon clutched ever so tightly in his firm grasp. "For all I know," he added, "you could be trying to one up me."

"Could be," teased the flame headed nobody. "Maybe I AM trying to trick ya. But, really, do you think I'd be that clever?"

That was it. Readying his weapon, Riku shouted, "Well I guess there's only one way to find out!" At full speed, the he charged head on in Axel's direction, ready to lash at him with his dangerous sword. Even though he had no visible pupils in his current state, one could easily tell by the look in his eyes that Riku was determined.

Right as Riku was nearly towards Axel, the fiery red head vanished in a flash, causing the silver haired teen to plummet face forward to the ground. Irritated as he was, Riku was still quick to his feet, picking up his sword, eyes out for Axel. It was only when he heard the shrill sound of laughter from behind that he about faced, only to be hit by one of Axel's chakrams. _CHING! _The razor sharp blades of the flying disk were quick to cut into Riku's side. Bits of his cloak were torn, and an open wound was revealed.

"Too slow, kiddo!" shouted Axel, warping once again.

Taking no time to tend to his wound, the silver haired teenager simply darted around, keeping his eyes out for Axel. Although the nobody wasn't visible, Riku could still hear him snickering at his own attempts to fight back. A few seconds passed before, suddenly, there was a "whoosh" sound. Now was Riku's chance. Closing his eyes ever so tightly and concentrating deeply on the dark energy coursing within, the teenager prepared to unleash a powerful assault.

An obscure, purplish glow began to consume Riku. His body slowly began to float in mid air. Suddenly, an immense amount of dark energy was released from within Riku. At a rapid speed, this aura was unleashed upon the immediate area. This rush of energy expanded to a point where it would be neigh impossible for Axel to evade this little tactic. _WHAM! _Just as expected, Axel fell to the ground, blasted by the massive dark aura. At the same time, Riku landed safely and made another charge in Axel's direction.

Narrowing his eyes, the nobody hissed, "Not so fast, kid… BURN!!!" _FWAM! _A massive flurry of fire came forth, ready to singe Riku's very being. Even from afar, the intense heat from the fire was vicious and unwelcoming. This was a terrific comeback for Axel, who was still somewhat winded from Riku's surprise maneuver.

Eyeing the rapidly advancing flames, Riku swiftly made a dodge roll to the side. He was quite fortunate that he moved at that exact moment, as he narrowly missed being barbeque 'twerp'. Instead, the inferno blazed past him and scorched the outer wall of the nearest building. With relief, he heaved a heavy sigh before focusing on the fight. Already, Axel was back on his feet, his Chakrams in hand. The only difference was that he was crouching down, eyeing Riku _very_ carefully. A twisted smirk spread across his face.

Something was up. Just from looking at him, Riku could tell that Axel was getting ready for another swift comeback. The only thing he could do was rush forward and hope to hit him. After all, he didn't want to waste energy in the midst of a quarrel. So, there he went, once again rushing head on at Axel, his Soul Eater out at the ready. At that same exact moment, Axel took a leap forward. Both beings clashed. Chakram met sword, darkness met fire. In truth, the two of them were equally matched.

Each of them had such timing that neither was able to evade the other. While Axel got stabbed in the gut by Riku's soul eater, Riku was diced by Axel's chakrams. When the burning embers wrapped their smoldering tendrils around Riku's chest area, the darkness caused severe damage to Axel. The mere fact that the two had made their moves with that precise timing is the very reason why, a few seconds after the clash, they both found themselves lying on the ground.

"Ok, ok," groaned Axel as he pushed himself back to his feet, "I think we've BOTH had enough. Got it memorized?" Judging by the exhausted and rather annoyed expression on his visage, number VIII was actually being serious for once. Then again, after being thrashed the way he had been, one would probably get tuckered out anyway. "So, do you want my help or not? I've got places to go, kid, so hurry up."

Rubbing his burnt cloak, Riku responded, saying, "Fine… I guess I could use a head's up. But, just know that I _still_ don't trust you. Got it?"

"Memorized," Axel snickered. "Anyway, I saw that you were reading some lame note from Organization XIII. I figured that I could probably be more useful than that so called threat." When Riku simply nodded, the red head continued. "So, you probably got the whole 'Whoo! Sora gets to do what he ALWAYS has done, just so we can be whole!' thing by now. Thing is, kid, there's more to it than that. I may not know much, since I left and all, but one thing's certain: they're after Sora… As for why, I couldn't care less. It's Roxas who's important to me. Still, just thought I'd let ya know."

Riku took a moment to absorb all of this information. From what Axel said, things were a lot worse than they appeared. The whole destroying heartless thing was nothing new, obviously, but it was the possibility that they were after his own best friend that worried the sixteen year old. Who knew what they were planning? Just from the mere thought, worry began to envelope the teenager. "So," he pondered, "that means Sora's risking being caught? Great… Just great!"

"Yeah, well, knowing Sora, he'll be fine," Axel replied with a shrug. "What's the worst that could happen to him, anyway? I mean, if the Organization needs him so badly, he's sure to come out of this alive."

-----------------------------

_**The World that Never Was**_

In the midst of the Castle of Organization XIII, there was quite a bit of clutter. Each and every member stood in the entry, ready to greet the returning members. Everyone from Xemnas down to Demyx were ready to give their so called greetings. Even the oh so irate Zexion was there, muttering to himself while clutching tightly onto his chest for whatever reason. All the while, the four returning nobodies made their way through the hall.

"_Whoo! Hiya! How's it going? Remember ME?!" _squealed Demyx, jumping up and down with an eerily happy expression beaming on his face. Clearly he was incredibly hyper, and that lone fact didn't exactly appeal to the other members. Actually, because of this irritating behavior, the self acclaimed musician received a piercing glare from the others, Larxene in particular.

Once the small group had made their way past the over enthusiastic Demyx, they came to an abrupt pause. Silently, the other seven members gave the formerly dead nobodies some space. The initial reactions from the foursome were very different. First there was Vexen, who was rather intent on taking quiet observations of the rest of the Org. His eyes froze directly on Zex in much fascination, while the Cloaked Schemer continued gripping at himself. Then there was Lexaeus, the Silent Hero. Instead of being fascinated with everything, the brawny fifth member of the Organization remained ever calm, not very interested in the current situation.

Marluxia and Larxene both wore devilish smirks, eyeing the other members with psychotic pleasure. Obviously, they were enjoying their 'humble return', at least, as much as a nobody COULD enjoy things. Either way, the two traitors would likely end up being troublesome. Anyway, with the whole Organization, or at least those who hadn't left, gathered together, Xemnas stepped forth, a dull expression painted on his face. Upon making it to the center of the group, he announced, "_Fellow members, it is a great privilege of ours to have our formerly eliminated members return. If it weren't for the efforts of Saïx, a loyal member, no doubt, we would still be a faint memory of what this Organization once was. Therefore, please take the time to welcome Vexen, Marluxia, Lexaeus, and Larxene with open arms."_

Well, Demyx was obviously 'open' to the returning Org members. In fact, he ran up to each of them and started blabbing nonstop. Then again, that was just the Demyx way… especially when he was hyper. Xaldin and the other senior members, however, didn't share such open feelings with Marluxia and the others. Instead, they simply kept to themselves, not bothering with even the slightest greetings. Zexion in particular kept passing snide glances at the former traitors, all while gripping at his gut.

"_I must say that I am truly fascinated," _said Vexen out of nowhere. "_Zexion, I must ask, why on earth are you clutching at your abdominal region like so? It's highly unnerving." _There was an odd glint in the Chilly Academic's eye as he said this. It was as if he were speculating something out of the ordinary, and let's just say that the whole notion wasn't exactly comforting.

Shaking his head, Zexion retorted, "_My, Vexen… for someone of such a high intellect, I thought you'd realize this by now… I was mauled by that wretched replica you made and, even though I survived… I still have the scars from said encounter… simple enough." _This little explanation seemed easy enough. However, Vexen still had an unsure expression on his visage as he turned away from the Cloaked Schemer in mild disgust.

"_Now, now, Vexen, Zexion…"_ intruded a certain Silent Hero. "_There's no need to bother on such a minor subject. We don't want Organization XIII to fall into shambles again, especially now that we lack numbers VIII and XIII. Besides, there's a more important matter to attend to: obtaining Kingdom Hearts." _ Quietly, Zexion and Vexen both forced nods, leaving Lexaeus as content as a nobody could get.

"_Yes, yes," _sighed Zex, crossing his arms, "_becoming whole is a top priority, which is why I do believe that a status report is of utmost importance, am I right, my Superior?" _ His eyes narrowed, as he took a quick glance at a slip of paper.

Attentively, Xemnas nodded in agreement. "_That is correct, Zexion," _he explained. "_I do believe that a report is in order… starting with Demyx." _With said statement said and done, all eyes turned to the Melodious Nocturne. Of course, being a total wuss, Demyx simply backed up, shaking nervously. Doing so, however, wasn't a bright idea, as it only worsened his situation. It took pure persuasion from the Superior to make him say a single word. "_Demyx… do give us information on your progress… for your own sake."_

"_Ok, fine…" _squeaked the ninth member of the Organization. "_So, yeah, I didn't do so well with Roxas. But, hey, it's not my fault! He beat my giant nobody thing… Anyway, so to make up for it, I had to go to some happy little zoo called the Pride Lands. So, I sent some heartless there, etc… nothing major to report. But, if I get my butt bitten by another hyena I swear…they'll pay." _ Still a little skittish, Demyx managed to just barely smile, though he was still a little freaked out by the constant staring.

As soon as Xemnas gave his approval, the music loving nobody quickly slunk into the back of the group. Clearly he was not one who enjoyed having to speak to the rest of the Organization… especially since they were all so uptight. Of course, that's what happens when you're one of the few goof balls in organization XIII. Anyway, turning his attention from Demyx, the Superior faced Xaldin, number IV in the Org.

Clearing his throat, the Whirlwind Lancer began, "_My report is one of success. Using a select group of heartless, I was able to cause wreckage in China. Much like the swarms in Hollow Bastion and the Pride_ _Lands, this one will keep the Keybearer occupied. Of course, once he is in our clutches, things will be even greater." _There was an eerie look to number IV's face as he said those cold, emotionless words. For whatever the reason, it appeared that Sora would amount to much more than a heartless slaying teenager.

Moving on, the other members went on about their reports. Luxord brought up the subject on how he was faring in Halloween Town, and how the power suppressed within meager Christmas gifts was quite interesting. Then there was Xigbar and his little charade at Port Royal. He had mentioned strange medallions that had been cursed and how idiotic the whole idea was. This whole time, Zexion appeared to be taking notes for whatever reason. Lastly, Saïx gave a brief explanation of his efforts in the Underworld, but other than that, there was little left when it came to status reports.

"_It appears that all is well," _Xemnas exclaimed, keeping a dull look plastered upon his face. "_However, there is still much to do and little time. Be grateful, though, as with the return of our members, all shall not go astray. Already they have been assigned to their own worlds. Zexion, Larxene, and Marluxia shall be attending to a certain Castle outside of a small French village. In due time, I shall have assignments for Vexen and Lexaeus as well. First thing's first, though. Sora, as useful as he is, needs some **adjustments**… therefore; if possible, I would like him brought here at once." _ Saying nothing more, the Superior turned away from the group and headed back towards his chambers. A majority of the other members went their own ways as well, leaving Saïx and the returning nobodies on their own.

"_I suppose it is in my best interest that I examine Maleficent and her overweight companion…" _explained the Lunar Diviner with a quiet sigh. "_Vexen, you may return to your former room… the same may be said for Lexaeus as well. As for you three," _he turned towards numbers VI, XI, and XII with a stern expression, "_I am certain the Superior_ _expects results. Be sure to avoid any shenanigans. Am I clear, Zexion?" _Growling, the Cloaked Schemer nodded his head, eyes narrow. Behind him, Marluxia and Larxene snickered amongst themselves. As there was no point in further advancing this conversation, Saïx simply headed towards his own dark portal.

"_Well then…" _grumbled Zex, rolling his eyes in annoyance, "_I suppose it's in our best interest if we head towards our destination… Though, keep in mind that I have been put in charge of you two, and therefore, I expect no games… Understood?" _

"_I am surprised, Zexion," _gasped the Graceful Assassin. "_Why on earth would I defy the Superior_'_s orders?" _After said statement, the two traitors simply gave VI these weird, falsely innocent stares. A strange glint shone in their eyes as the duo continued to give that 'puppy dog' expression. Yep, something told the Cloaked Schemer that this was going to be a long mission.

------------------------------------

"So, tell me again why you can't just find Sora and give him a little warning…"

Both Axel and Riku had been engaging in conversation for the last few minutes. The whole subject number VIII had brought up about Sora possibly being captured by the Organization was the main point of discussion. Clearly there was more to Organization XIII than what met the eye. Whatever they wanted with Sora, it was bound to be gruesome, to say the least. Either way, Riku in turn wasn't very comfortable with this notion. On the contrary, he was worried sick about his best friend.

"Axel, look," sighed the sixteen year old, brushing his bangs out of his face, "I can't put Sora in danger. I already gave into the darkness, so what's stopping _him _from taking over? I may be able to keep myself in control now, but if I sink any deeper…"

Axel simply gave Riku a light shove, snidely replying, "Kid, you worry too much. So you're all dark and stuff, but really… Do you actually think Sora would care? He's your friend, man. If anything, he'd want to help. Got it memorized?" Riku simply shrugged. There was still a part of him that was uneasy about everything. Seeing this, Axel added bluntly, "Y'know, he's been looking for you…"

"I know, I know…" muttered the silver haired teenager in response. "It's just like I said, though. I may still be me now, at least, a little, but what's stopping Ansem from taking over? I can still feel him inside my heart. You wouldn't understand…"

"Hey, don't go saying that so soon, kiddo. I may not have a _real_ heart, but I know what it's like to have one. Still, if you insist on being a coward, go ahead. Not my problem." Before turning around, the red head added one last thing, "I have to admit, though, that you're pretty worked up even though you barely look any different than normal. Heh, weirdo." So, without much else to say, the pyrokinetic nobody simple headed off, leaving Riku on his own, as usual. Of course, it would take a lot more than a simple rant from Axel to convince the silver haired teenager, but, hey, it didn't hurt to try.

-----------------------------------------------------

_**Somewhere…**_

A cold breeze blew through a seemingly desolate space. Only the light of an incomplete Kingdom Hearts illuminated the vicinity. Along the plain, colorless walls were nothing but aged tarnishes. Deep, agonized breathing echoed within, as a slim, frail figure slouched over a balcony. Simply judging by her twisted horn like appendages atop her head along with the long, narrow fingers and pale skin, the being was none other than Maleficent. Below her was a dark city filled with mere shells of former beings.

"_You seem so very weak," _intruded Saïx, appearing out of a dark, pulsating portal. The witch instantly about-faced, a dull expression planted upon her face. "_I have come to you strictly on behalf of the Superior," _continued the Lunar Diviner. "_He says that he has a job for you, and you will be rewarded if you choose to take on this little proposition."_

"**_You prattling fools…" _**snarled the witch, clutching ever so tightly to the balcony before her. Her eyes were like daggers, digging deep into Saïx's being. However, he was unphased, being a nobody of his stature. "**_How dare you miscreants detain me? You do not seem to recognize--"_**

"_I know well who you are," _intruded the elf-like nobody. "_However, if it were not for myself, you would be lost in the endless abyss… wasting away for eternity." _The look plastered across Saïx's visage remained ever stern as he faced Maleficent, not an ounce fearful for his well being.

Still defiant, the witch continued to dig deep into the nobody in hopes of phasing him. "**_I see… very well," _**she growled, grimacing all the while, "**_I suppose I could make a proposal as long as it is beneficial." _**Saïx falsely grinned at this last proclamation. It was becoming oh so apparent that the witch was falling into the clutches of the Organization. All was well.

"_As we said before, what this Organization wants is quite simple," _answered number VII calmly. "_We are well aware of your control over the heartless… therefore; you and your… obese follower are only required to serve us by sending heartless throughout the world. With twice the force, the Keybearer will be unable to resist in helping us with our goal…" _he quickly pulled out a tattered piece of paper, "_In return, of course… we shall give you whatever you desire… even a realm to reign supreme… Just imagine the sheer power."_

Silently, the Lunar Diviner unraveled the scroll of paper, which just so happened to gleam with an eerie glow. Said nobody then revealed a strange quill and handed it to Maleficent, whose gaze was planted on the strange scroll. Carefully, the clasped the old fashioned pen and began signing at the very bottom of the paper. All the while, Saïx's face changed from a blank look to an expression of pure, satisfied evil. Soon, Maleficent had signed, and the deal was set in stone, so to speak.

"_And so it begins…"_

End of Chapter

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**AN: **Well, as you see, this chapter had several things going on at once. Also, I played around with which Org member went to each world just for fun. That, and their roles in the worlds are slightly different than in the games… all in due time you shall see. Another thing is that Zexion is becoming a semi major character, and in the future you will find that there's… interesting stuff about him. Of course, I shall not spoil the surprises. Also, the Maleficent scene is minor, and she won't have many appearances for a while. No chapter preview this time, as I have the file saved at school, but don't worry; it will be uploaded by tomorrow, anyway. As always, I appreciate reviews. See ya next chapter!


	12. Castle in the Dark

Ok, so the update took a little longer than expected, but hey, I was sick, so I had to make up some homework. Anywho, this chapter covers a lot of things at once, so if you're a tad confused, I apologize. Either way, let me clarify that the Roxas parts ARE dreams for Sora, but the other parts are not. Also, this chapter is the start of a rather interesting chain of events that I plan.

Disclaimer: Do I have to say?

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**Chapter Nine: Castle in the Dark**

The Gummi Ship ride from Hollow Bastion had been a slow one for Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Knowing that arguments would lead to another accident, the Keybearer had willingly surrendered his drivers' seat to the poultry mage. As of now, the vehicle simply buzzed by stars, each one glittering in the pitch black sky. A few rocky asteroids were seen here and there, but as far as anything important, such as a world, went, there was nothing. Rather bored… well, bored was putting it lightly, but, anyway, Sora slumped back in his chair, grumbling to himself. All this silence was driving him nuts, and he felt restless and tense. Not even a conversation among his two friends and himself would suffice at the moment.

_I just don't get it, _thought Sora to himself. _This Roxas… how does he know so much about me? I've never even seen the guy! _More than anything, the spiky haired teen wanted to uncover more about this strange boy with the dual Keyblades. For whatever reason, when he had that vision of sorts earlier on, something felt… familiar yet strange at the same time. That, and Yen Sid had mentioned how the dreams had been more than mere visions. Such a fact made the fifteen year old even more mystified. Just once, he would like to meet this Roxas. _Then there's that weird card…_

"You know," Goofy suddenly exclaimed, "that Organization XIII seems to be plannin' something with those heartless. Gawrsh, I wonder what, though…" Snapping out of his daze, Sora gave a quiet nod. Despite being rather clumsy and/or dopey at times, Goofy was quite right. All those heartless jammed up in Hollow Bastion had to be there for a reason. If not, why would the Organization send their underlings to keep any intruders away? Plus, they had such a high concentration of the little pests in just one world. One could only imagine what would happen if they had this much in OTHER worlds.

"I know what you mean," Donald grunted, keeping his eyes on the radar. "That's why we have to keep our eyes on the mission! No dawdling! Okay?" Looking back for a moment, the fowl tried to lighten the mood with a lighter look on his visage. When Sora simply sunk deeper into his seat, he snapped, "C'mon, Sora! Lighten up! This ship runs on _happy _faces, not frowns. We'll find Riku and the King, but we also have to stop the Organization." Now, this was quite an amusing thing for Donald to say, since he was usually such an explosive bag of feathers.

Heaving a sigh, Sora got up. He could easily see that his two pals were trying to cheer him up. Simply ignoring them would only be rude and thoughtless. Though he didn't truly feel happy, the Keybearer falsely smiled, simply to please his buds. Deep inside, though, his being was filled to the brim with worry and confusion. He could have fooled anyone, though, as his appearance showed quite the opposite. Either way, the ride remained quite tranquil and hushed, with still no signs of near by worlds.

With all this tranquility, no one could say for sure how much time had passed during this unsuccessful voyage. On the Gummi ship, there were no clocks, just simple radar showing the way. Outside, since it was space, there was no sunlight to differentiate night and day, which also meant that knowing the time of day was neigh impossible. In short, the trio had no idea of how long they had been zooming through hyperspace.

Fed up with all this quiet, Sora got up from his seat and ambled over to the window. At least watching near by asteroids and stars would be more entertaining than constantly staring at Donald piloting the ship. There was one advantage to this quiet, however, and that was the fact that it gave Sora some time to swim in a pool of deep thought. The thought of Roxas and that strange memory from the card still dwelled in his mind. "To find is to lose and to lose is to find…" he muttered to himself, absentmindedly at that.

"What's that mean?" intruded Donald, quite interested. As of now, the fowl seemed to be more mellow, which was always a good sign.

Shaking his head, Sora replied, "Well, it's just… back in that black and white world, I found this card. It was right by the cornerstone, and it had a picture of a castle on it. But, and this is the weird part, when I picked it up, I had this weird flashback of me in this grassy field and someone from Organization XIII. The weird part is, since I picked up that card, I keep getting weird thoughts about stuff…" Pausing for a moment, the teenager took another glance outside before adding, "First Roxas and now this… why is it that everything's so confusing?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Donald retorted, "Because we're heroes. Of course we'll get confused… it's all a part of the job." With that said, the fowl turned back to the radar, making sure this conversation didn't open any opportunities for enemy attack. After all, out here in the void of space, one could never be too careful. Sure enough, the Gummi hadn't entered enemy territory, but… there _was_ something fishy showing up on the radar. The image itself was a giant question mark that flashed various colors on the screen. Its frequency was too obscure to be another vehicle, but at the same time, it couldn't be a world. Aggravated at this unknown reading, the poultry mage grumbled, "What's the big idea? Stupid radar!"

Amazingly, Donald's remark was enough to actually interest Sora, who had been sinking deeper into that pool of thought mentioned above. However, the bag of feather's instant reaction _had _to have been important. So, inquisitively, the fifteen year old budged from his spot and sauntered on over to the front of the cockpit, eyeing this radar with much fascination. "What's that?" he asked, scratching his head. "I've never seen anything like that when _I_ flew this thing."

"I don't know…" huffed the drake, glaring at the screen, "but I don't like it." Something _was_ off about this situation. After all, never once had Donald or the others seen an unknown reading on the radar like that. Plus, it was getting incredibly close to the Gummi, which might not be a good thing.

Unsure of what to do, the trio could only stand and watch as this weird reading approached the vehicle. The closer it got, the more out of wack its reading became. Confusion circulated within Sora, Donald, and Goofy, and the worst part was that they couldn't do a thing about it. Soon, the reading was almost on top of the Gummi, and a strange sound echoed around. In an instant, Sora toppled to the ground, clutching his head and gritting his teeth. His two compadrés were quick to rush over to his side, despite the racket… but the sound wouldn't go away. After about a minute of the racket, the Keybearer toppled to the floor, unconscious.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**In a Strange Castle**_

"_I already told you… that girl, she doesn't care for you… you're a beast… Give into the darkness… and your pain will fade away…"_

In a dark room within a strange castle stood two beings, one being an all too familiar member of Organization XIII. That's right, Zexion stood before a large beast of sorts. Said monster was large and coated in thick brown fur. His body was large and muscular, and his hands were clawed and dangerous. The face of this beast was terrifying; sharp fangs filled his mouth, and two dangerously sharp horns were mounted atop his head. In short, as far as appearance went, this Beast wasn't exactly pretty.

"But…" moaned the Beast, clutching onto a strange rose within a glass container, "Belle's the only one who's ever seen me for more than just… a monster. If I forget about her and sink into the darkness, I'll never change back…" Sorrow slowly coated the Beast's visage, as he stared at the Cloaked Schemer. Of course, Zexion simply scoffed, giving this large creature a nasty grimace.

"_You're only lying to yourself,"_ he exclaimed, "_Forget the girl… shoulder her the way she has shouldered you… give into the darkness and you'll have everything you desire… Even Belle will realize your…potential… Just…give in." _There was a hypnotic air in Zexion's eyes, as he made his attempt to manipulate the Beast. His wording sounded entrancing and oddly welcoming at that very moment. Then again, that's what you get from someone as manipulative as Zexion.

Beast heaved a heavy sigh, as he listened to Zexion's alluring speech. Perhaps he was right about the darkness. The only way to know was to give it a try. But, on the other hand, this could very well be a rouse Zex was planning to cause him to submit. What a dilemma this was for poor old Beast, who was feeling uncertain of himself. "Maybe…" he began, "you're right… the way Belle had treated me earlier… it was like she didn't care. Maybe the darkness is where a beast like me belongs…"

"_That's right," _mused the Cloaked Schemer, sounding quite pleased, "_your place is in the darkness…" _With that said and done, Zexion slowly made his way towards a dark portal, cackling to himself. Why, it was only a matter of time before the beast 'cracked', so to speak. Just a little more persuasion would do the trick. But, at the moment, his 'turn' was over, so, he entered his little vortex.

Upon exiting the gateway of darkness, Zexion found himself in the middle of a library of sorts. There, shelves upon shelves were seen, along with a nice area to read. However, that was the least of Zex's problems right now. Instead of bothering with the books, it was high time that he located Marluxia and Larxene. After all, he had been given the task of keeping his eyes on them, no matter how irking the concept was. Either way, he knew that the two would be waiting for him in this library.

"_So, the twerp returns," _exclaimed a certain sadistic Org member. That's right, Larxene, the Savage Nymph, formerly dead Organization member had been lazily reading some sort of novel when Zexion entered the scene. "_How's the beast?"_

Zex remained quiet for a moment, as he made his way towards number XII. The look on his face was rather maniacal complete with a piercing glare accompanied by a devilish smirk. "_He's almost given in by now," _he explained. "_It shouldn't take much longer for him to… come to his senses." _Quickly, Zex pulled out a slip of paper before adding, "_And what about Belle? How is she… faring? Heh…" _

Lazily, Larxene replied, "_If you must know, the little brat won't shut up. She keeps on screaming for help, but, oh well. That just makes her torture more entertaining." _The look on Larxene's face showed that she didn't really care about any of this. Then again, nobodies were strange in that sense. What's odd, though, is the fact that she talked about torture as if it were a common practice. But, of course, that's just the typical Larxene thing for ya. "_By the way, I still can't get over the way you've been persuading that freakazoid. It's like cross dressing on a whole new level! Even Marluxia isn't THAT bad."_

"_Don't think I can't hear you..."_

Joining this little masquerade was number XI of the Organization, namely, Marluxia. Now, Mar was rather strange compared to the others. Judging by his build and voice, he was definitely male… though when it came to his other features; one couldn't help but question his gender. Namely, it was his long, pink hair, and interest in flowers that caused many to look at him in utter bafflement. Then again, that's just the way Marluxia worked. Upon seeing the so called "Graceful Assassin", both Larxene and Zexion ceased in their conversation, knowing that with XI present, it was best to keep any quips to themselves.

"_Well, looks like the gang's all here," _said Larxene with a sigh of boredom. "_What took you, Flower Boy?" _Although he didn't really like this nickname Larx had decided to give him, Marluxia simply shrugged it off and began to explain things. After all, complaining would lead to a… shocking argument, quite literally.

"_If you must know," _replied the Graceful Assassin, "_I was simply taking care of the castle pests. We don't want any interference, after all. Anyway, is that throw rug of a beast starting to give in?" _

Zexion simply shook his head in annoyance. Perhaps it was his hatred of Marluxia that caused him to be somewhat irate around the 'flower boy'. "_Do I have to repeat myself?" _he groaned. "_I already told Larxene, but the beast is starting to cave in… soon, he'll be a heartless." _Silently, he clutched his slip of paper before adding, "_I'm quite surprised…Marluxia. I would have expected you to be plotting against the Organization by now, and yet you're acting… perfectly loyal… What **are** you planning?" _

"_Zexion, you silly little boy," _mocked the pink haired nobody in response, "_how could you just jump to conclusions like so? Why, I could ask what **you're** planning, Zex. After all, you always seem to be carrying around that little paper… and I honestly doubt it's a grocery list." _

"_My list…for your information… is for my eyes only," _snapped the Cloaked Schemer in objection. "_I… would never betray the Organization… unlike you and Larxene. Between the two of you, I would say that there's more trouble than even that repulsive Keybearer could cause…"_

"_Yeah, it's great, isn't it?" _snapped the Savage Nymph sharply.

By now, poor Zexy was getting irked beyond belief. Being partnered up with these two was not pleasant to him in the least. Why, it was bad enough that they were traitors… Only the fact that the duo loved tormenting others in a sadistic matter increased the nuisance. To someone of Zexion's caliber in intelligence, one could say that these last few minutes hadn't exactly been a picnic. Right now, if anything, he needed some time alone to ponder over his own intentions. "_Hmm…" _he muttered, turning away from the two 'traitors'. "_If you excuse me…I am going to… take the time to ponder about this situation in private. It's Marluxia's turn to torment the beast, anyway."_

With that, the somewhat aggravated Zexion swiftly turned away from the duo of nuisances, growling to himself. Some time alone would likely prove useful for the silver/blue haired Org member. He lifted his right arm slightly, and with no hesitation, snapped his gloved fingers. The result was clearly another dark portal, its essence filling the immediate area. It didn't take long for Zex to enter the portal, leaving Marluxia and Larxene on their own.

"_I wonder…" _said Marluxia to himself, stroking his chin with his index finger.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Some forest… place**_

The blistering wind blew like a geyser. A freezing chill filled the surrounding area, while snowflakes beat against the ground like a meteor shower. _Ching! Ching! _From the tops of the ever so green trees to the soft, damp ground below, it seemed that the forest was a white wasteland. In the midst of this colorless array was Roxas, coated in the chilly flakes. His flesh was eerily pale, and he was barely clinging onto his own consciousness. It was the sheer cold that caused the nobody to nearly slip into slumber.

Due to the damage Cerberus had caused to his leg, it was incredibly difficult for him to maneuver through this terrain. You see, with each step, Roxas' leg sent a sharp pain, almost like daggers, through his very being. Already, he was low on energy, but he wouldn't give up. There had to be sanctuary within this frozen forest. The only problem was he was slowly but surely falling victim to the chilly breeze.

_Roxas…_

Suddenly, the injured nobody came to an abrupt pause, despite the agonizing winter air. For whatever reason, a strange-yet-familiar voice echoed through his mind. Whoever it was… it knew his name. _W-who's there? _He responded within his very mind.

_Roxas… how?_ _How do you know me?_

Wait that voice… there was definitely something up with it. Despite being a figment of Roxas' mind, it sounded oddly like… Sora. But, how could that be? Most likely, the blondey was miles away from his other. The only possible solution to this question was that, somehow, the Keybearer was able to access the mind of his nobody. Still, this wasn't exactly pleasant for Roxas, who, despite the intense weakness within him, started running through the blizzard. Intense agony took sweet vengeance as the nobody ran, barely able to keep on his feet.

_No, wait! Please! Roxas! Just tell me who you are!_

The wind was growing stronger now, and with it, the blizzard intensified. Trekking through this madness was slowly but surely becoming a neigh impossible task for the weakened Roxas. Finally, he collapsed within the sheer frozen wasteland. Unable to advance, the teenager found himself clinging to his consciousness. Vision blurring, and body shivering, Roxas felt as if he were going to freeze to death, but... in the distance, he saw... something... Struggling to focus, he saw a black flash, and then...

"N-Nam...Naminé...?" he uttered, just before falling unconscious.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**In the Halls of the Castle**_

Alone in the dark, empty hallway stood Zexion, who was pondering to himself. As opposed to the Library, this area was much smaller and lacked the presence of Larxene and Marluxia. However, to the Cloaked Schemer this stillness was quite comforting. Clutched tightly in his hand was the same slip of paper from before. Because Zexion was alone, he was able to examine his list of sorts without disturbance. _Hmm, _he thought, brushing his unruly bangs out of his face, _Marluxia and Larxene are quite troublesome… but, on the other hand… I suppose they could prove quite useful to me… _

For a moment, he paused, taking a whiff of the still, lifeless air. There was something about the scent that seemed eerily familiar, to say the least. Having enhanced senses proved to come in handy at this moment, as realization hit the Cloaked Schemer. "_Roxas…" _he spat, his eyes narrow. _Hmm, the little pest seems to show up at the worst times… _he pondered to himself. _No matter… It's unlikely that he'll interfere… at least, with me. Still, those fools told me to handle the brat if he were to show his face… _From what it seemed, Roxas was present near by, though that would be expected since the forest was just outside the castle.

Looking back to his little list, number VI simply snickered to himself. His eyes gleamed maliciously, and a twisted, malevolent smirk formed upon his visage. Whatever was written on this mysterious slip of paper, one could be certain that it wasn't going to lead to a world of rainbows and lollipops. No, there was much, much more to it than that. Anyway, alone, Zexion paced down the hallway, his footsteps the only sound within the walls. It was dark inside, as there was little candle light... the perfect place for a dark denizen like Zex. In the midst of his silent plotting, however, the Cloaked Schemer found himself interrupted, as a voice from within echoed through his mind, just like what had occurred with Roxas.

_Don't make the same mistake twice, Ienzo._

Instantly, he paused. That voice... the voice from within seemed to recall his original name, the one he had used until he discarded his former identity. Something wasn't right about this... not at all. Instinctively, the only thing Zexion could do was, well, question this inner voice. _Wha?_ _Who are you…?How… how do you know… that name?_

_No reason._

_There is a reason for everything… _snapped Zex, all in his head, of course. _So, tell me… tell me the **real** reason… the real reason why you know my name. _For about five seconds, the voice refused to speak, all before continuing...

_You're steeping into the shadows… falling into the abyss… _

No matter what this strange voice said, it surely lead to bafflement on Zexion's part. Despite his unusual intelligence, it seemed that the Cloaked Schemer couldn't decipher the meaning of this unknown speaker. What's worse was that, whoever it was, they seemed to know more about him than any average Joe. Irate, he gave yet another response, _Enough_ _riddles… start making some sense, you twat! _

_Beware the darkness… for your sake… beware…_

All at once, a sharp pain shot through Zexion's very being. Wincing in agony, he gripped at his chest, moaning. _What are you doing to me?! This…my… no! _ The pain continued, erupting at a brisk pace, causing the Cloaked Schemer to collapse. Something was definitely not right… the sharp jolts of vicious throbbing from within It was only a little shock of reality that snapped Zex out of this little trance. And literally, I mean a SHOCK.

"_Hey, Zexion, hello?!"_ shouted a seemingly annoyed Larxene. "_Don't make me shock you again! Seriously, I will." _Looking rather irate, the Savage Nymph stomped over to Zexion and gave him a flick on the shoulder. This time, however, he was quick to respond, shoving Larxene out of the way before trudging a few feet forward.

"_It's quite interesting… Larxene," _said number VI out of nowhere, "_I can't help but wonder why Roxas would end up here… Perhaps I should attend to the matter?" _Larxene simply shook here head, heaving a pestered sigh.

"_I've already taken care of the runt," _she explained. "_Why else would I bother with you? Obviously, you're not worth my time…" _She quietly paused, pondering over what had occurred just earlier. Marluxia and Zex seemed to have a grasp on something she did not, and it made her quite curious, which is saying a lot for a nobody such as herself. "_You know," _she added with an air of fascination in her voice, "_Flower Boy thinks you're pretty crazy. I can't help but agree. How a twerp like you survived the Replica Vexen made is beyond me. Still… what **are** you up to, Zexion?"_

"_That information…" _replied the Cloaked Schemer "_shall remain clearly confidential for the time being… Why I'd waste time conversing with a n--- a traitor like you is still something even I fail to understand… No matter, there is still so much to do."_ Quietly, Zexion brushed his long, silver bangs out of his face before walking further down the hall. He seemed to be pondering over a lot as of late, and a bit of quiet would do him some good. However, as he went further into the halls, he could hear the sound of boots against the cold, wooden floor. Pausing, he said, "_Don't think I can't sense you, Larxene…Now, tell me why you are following me like some lost, hopeless animal…"_

"_Look, Zex," _snapped the sadistic nobody, "_there's a lot you still haven't answered… and frankly, if you don't tell me, I'll force the answers right out of you and your midgety self. It'd be fun to watch you squeal like the little wimp you are, anyway. Plus, I thought you'd like to check up on XIII." _Oddly enough, Larxene was… smiling. True, it was one of those insane, psychopath smiles, but still… it was almost as if she were being _friendly _with Zexion.

Shrugging his shoulders, number VI muttered, "_Very well… take me to Roxas. I am rather curious about the child, anyway. However… don't expect me to give you any insight on my plans until you prove yourself trustworthy… understood? I have better things to do than deal with traitors." _With that, Zexion turned towards Larxene, though he seemed unsure about this ordeal. Oddly enough, number XII just started ambling towards the west wing of the Castle, beckoning for him to follow. Surely Zex would regret this…

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Somewhere…**_

_Roxas…_

Darkness filled an empty void. Not a single sound could be heard nor a single thing could be seen. It was as if this strange, lifeless place had no existence. In the center of this emptiness was Roxas, floating in the abyss. Weakly, he opened his eyes to find himself alone. He sat up, glancing around in hopes of finding… well, anything, but such wishes seemed hopeless… well, at least until a bright light could be seen in the distance.

_Roxas… _

More light started to illuminate the area. Instead of being an endless void, a deep, blue sea could be seen. The ground went from nothingness to warm, soothing sand. A pleasant breeze blew through the air, while the sun beat down upon the ground. Roxas found himself, instead of in nonexistence, on Destiny Islands, or what appeared to be said paradise. _How…how did I get here? _He wondered, taking a look around.

_Let's take the raft and go, just the two of us!_

A familiar memory flooded his mind, as the blonde saw himself staring at a younger version of Sora and Kairi upon the dock, staring into the sunset. But, it didn't make sense. Why was he seeing Sora's memories _again_? Already he had been experiencing the dreams, yet, for the second time, he found himself gazing upon his other's past.

_Sora… don't_ _ever change…_

All at once, the clear, azure sky darkened. The once warm breeze was now cold and unruly. Storm clouds formed in the distance, and the tropical paradise shifted into a rugged environment. Roxas' eyes widened as he gazed upon his other and Riku. Another flashback seemed to ensue.

_The door has opened, Sora. Now we can go to the outside world! _

A dark aura formed around Riku, who reached out his hand. In mere seconds, the boy was engulfed by the shadows, leaving Sora all on his own. It was only a moment later that the brunette received the Keyblade. Something was peculiar about this whole situation, though. Why on earth was Roxas viewing Sora's past? Weren't the dreams enough? There had to be more meaning behind this… otherwise, what was the point.

"Naminé!" Roxas shouted, running through the harsh winds. "Where are you?" No response or even a mere sign from the golden haired girl were given. Instead, harsh gusts blew on, Knocking Roxas down. Shadows emerged from the sand, and what was once an illusion of Destiny Islands became an empty void once more. Breathing heavily, the teenager fell unconscious once more.

---------------------------------

"Do you think the poor dear's alright?"

Gathered in the middle of a musty dungeon were several figures. Each of them was quite obscure in shape. As opposed to being human or animal, they all appeared to be household appliances. Strangely enough, said appliances were actually alive, and… gathered around Roxas. In the center of this small circle sat a young girl with long, chocolate colored hair. She was in a sky blue dress that was, at the time, quite tattered and coated with dust. A look of concern was planted across her visage, as she examined the unconscious teenager.

"I think he's ok…" sighed the young lass, placing two fingers to Roxas' throat. "He's breathing, but… he has no pulse." Quietly, the nobody gave a slight groan, leaving the group surrounding him in confusion. All at once, a large teapot, apparently female, hopped towards Roxas, staring in curiosity. One could suppose that she was quite interested in the boy.

"My," exclaimed the teapot in awe, "I wonder where the poor child came from. Perhaps a cup of tea would help the darling." Once again, Roxas moved slightly, making another moaning sound. His breathing deepened, and his eyelids just barely lifted. Frightened by the figures surrounding him, he jolted backwards, only to wince in pain, due to his leg.

Instantly, the girl scooted forward, exclaiming, "Are you alright?" She was quick to place a hand on Roxas' leg, which in turn only caused more agony for the fifteen year old.

Still gritting his teeth in pain, the blondey managed to get a good look at the young lady. Her facial figures along with her chocolate colored hair surely seemed familiar. It wasn't that he himself had met the lass, but rather, she was an acquaintance of Sora's. It had been just a year ago, in Hollow Bastion no less, that his other had met this girl, along with the Beast. Clearly, she was none other than Belle. This was far more comforting, since the nobody realized that she was not the enemy. Still, in order to avoid issues, he would have to pretend that she was an unfamiliar face.

"I'm… I'm fine," Roxas moaned, gently pushing Belle's slender hand away from his injured appendage. To sum things up, the blondey was being rather stubborn when it came to his injury. "But… where am I?" he added, his gaze shifting all over the vicinity. Instead of being in a frozen forest, the teenager was now in the middle of a musty dungeon, the walls coated in mildew and other junk.

"You're in the castle dungeon," Belle explained. "It's really terrible… the Beast that lives here, my friend, had us all locked away." Soft tears slowly dripped down the fair lady's pale face. Simply mentioning how harsh the Beast had been caused poor Belle to become somewhat distraught. Then again, such behavior would be expected if one's close pal suddenly turned on them in such a harsh way.

Shifting uncomfortably, the blondey replied, "The dungeon…? But, how could I end up here? I was out in the woods and—"

All at once, a strange wooden clock jumped out from the crowd. His face was located appropriately along the uppermost of the clock, the 'hands' forming a neat little moustache, while his body formed at the base. In a huffed tone, he intruded on the conversation. "Allow me to explain," he announced. "The master has been rather different as of late. Ever since these three strangers in black coats appeared, he has become cruel and absolutely brutal… I really don't know what has come over him." He quickly paused before adding, "as for you… I do believe that one of the three brought you inside."

Roxas' eyes lit up. Only Organization XIII could fit the description of strangers in black coats. Plus, if Beast had become irate just shortly after their appearance, then surely that had to amount to _something_. Still, it definitely wasn't a good sign. He had been found by one of the members, and, being a traitor, punishment would likely ensue. "So," sighed the nobody, trying to be as calm as possible, "I guess Organization XIII is trying to—"

Yet again, the teenager was interrupted, as the door to the dungeon cell swung open. As the sound of leather boots met the stone floor, two cloaked figures became visible. At once, the short lived conversation halted. Both Zexion and Larxene ambled towards the small group of prisoners. As they went, the duo paid no attention to a single one of the suffering captives with the exception of Roxas. Upon being inches away from the fifteen year old, both nobodies gave him nasty glares.

"_Roxas…" _Zex whispered, crouching down to examine Roxas more closely. "_I am surprised to see you here of all places… let alone in your current state. So tell me… why are you world hopping like so?" _His gaze sent a chill down the blonde's spine… it was like staring at fear itself. Then again, VI was rather fearsome and sinister.

"I… I can't tell you that, Zexion…" whimpered Roxas, scooting backwards. Although he was unsure why Zexion was so interested, the blondey was well aware of the Cloaked Schemer's attitude. If he were to spill the beans about his hiding from Sora, who knew what would happen? After all, Zex seemed to be the type who was manipulative and enjoyed suffering.

"_Well then," _sneered the sinister sixth member of the Organization in a vicious tone, "_I suppose you'll endure the same torture these fools have received… that is, until you reveal your little secrets. Organization XIII has just been **dying** to find you…heh…" _Sniggering to himself, Zexion turned away from XIII and headed away from the cell. He would deal with the boy later, as there were still other matters to attend to. As for Larxene, she passed a sharp glare at the prisoners before following her fellow Organization member.

The two nobodies leisurely made their ways through the halls. The only light within came from the dully lit torches plastered to the walls. Despite being able to portal this way and that, it just didn't seem all that necessary to warp to short distances, such as the castle entrance. Either that or the duo simply didn't feel like giving the slight effort to transport themselves. All the same, it did not take long for Larxene and Zexion to arrive in the castle entrance, where Marluxia greeted them.

"_Well, I see that you two have kept yourself busy," _he said dully. "_As for me, I had a **wonderful** time with that beast. You were right, Zexion, when you said the fiend was sinking into the darkness. I already gave him a gentle push even deeper." _Both numbers VI and XII nodded serenely at that little explanation. The trio had been ordered to handle this world's amount of heartless to prepare for the Keybearer, and the Beast would surely make a handsome addition to the collection. With three Organization members doing the dirty work, it was only a matter of time…

As the threesome stood in the entry way of the manor, another unusual scent was carried through the air. Said odor was obviously something that only Zexion himself could pick up, due to his strong senses, thus the Cloaked Schemer's focus was pulled away from his 'comrades'. His eyes narrowed as the smell grew ever stronger. His serious expression slowly shifted to a maniacal smirk as revelation hit the young-aged nobody.

"_It appears that we have yet another visitor…" _Zex exclaimed, facing his fellow Org members. The two simply stared at him in confusion before a proper explanation was given. "_Sora and his lackeys are nearing this world… This makes things oh so… interesting. We must prepare to give them… a proper greeting." _

"_This is excellent," _Marluxia replied, crossing his arms. "_Not only will I be able to get back at that wretched child for defeating me, but we'll be able to deliver him to the Superior_ _as planned, correct?" _

Giving an approving glance, the sixth member responded, "_That is correct, Marluxia. And, we can't disappoint our superior now, can we?" _Sighing, both numbers XI and XII had to agree. Still, it was clear by their falsely annoyed expressions that they were not interested in helping Xemnas in the least. Then again, once a traitor, always a traitor it seemed. Zexion was smart enough to tell… which is one of the reasons why he still lacked any trust in the duo… which was actually ironic. "_Anyway, I had best start my own little preparations. Don't do anything you'd regret."_

So, once again Zexion trudged off, muttering to himself as usual. His strange list was clutched tightly within his grasp as he went. There was really still so much about the Cloaked Schemer as of late that was left in the dark. From his strange list to the fact that he was seemingly plotting, one couldn't help but be suspicious. Nevertheless, this was simply typical of him… since he was indeed the Cloaked _Schemer._

Once Zexion was out of site, Marluxia approached the Savage Nymph with a beaming gaze. Placing a gloved hand upon her shoulder, he whispered, "_Tell me, Larxene," _he cooed, his gaze digging deep inside her, "_did Zexion give us any useful information?" _Larxene shifted uncomfortably, trying to pull away from the Graceful Assassin before even considering a response.

With a groan, she retorted, "_Yeah, I actually got him to openly admit he even **had** plans. It's funny, cuz he didn't even notice. What a freak…" _ She managed to escape Marluxia's grasp before continuing, "_So, what should we do? I mean, we obviously have no idea what he's up to, but what if it's something… well, GOOD?" _Though the two were traitors, it _did_ seem as if Zexion wasn't exactly agreeing with the Org either. Why else would he have his own plans, let alone secret ones? This whole thought brought up much speculation.

"_It's really quite simple," _the flower loving nobody alleged. "_If Zexion's plans are of any interest to us, we choose to side with him…" _his gaze then shifted to a more mischievous one, "_But, if it's rather dull, we can always report him to the Superior and end up on his good side. That would always help us… especially if we ever plan to take over." _

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

…

Silently, Zexion stood atop the balcony of the castle, peering into the night. Though it looked as if his eyes were locked upon the colorless sky in the distance, his mind was elsewhere. It was earlier that a strange voice that was… eerily familiar had spoken to him. It mentioned him sinking into the darkness and making the same mistake twice. What's weirder is, whoever had spoken to him knew his original name… the one he hadn't used in nearly a decade, despite him keeping his teenage appearance after all this time.

_Hmm… making the same mistake twice? _He pondered to himself. _Heh… yeah right._ _It won't be the same this time… The only ones who are bound to fail… are those who side with Xemnas. _Keeping a solemn expression, Zexion pulled out his little slip of paper and cackled. _It's only a matter of time before Sora arrives… sooner or later, he'll tear the Organization apart… I'll play this game, for the time being… they won't notice anything peculiar… They're too foolish to even consider it…_

The tranquility was soon interrupted, as the sound of Gummi engines could be heard in the distance. A bright light was approaching the castle and fast. "_Right on schedule…"_ Zexion muttered. "_I guess it's time to greet the boy…" _Tucking away his list, the Cloaked Schemer shut his eyes tightly, as a dark aura surrounded him. Instead of wearing a black cloak, he was clad in blue waders and a sleeveless yellow top. As opposed to his dark blue/silver bangs from before, he now had long silver locks and aquamarine eyes. Black half-gloves covered his hands, and, in short, Zexion had taken the appearance of Riku… or, at least what he had looked like a year ago.

"_I expect that Sora will be eager to reunite with his best friend…"_

**End of Chapter**

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**AN: **So, now you know that Zexion is indeed planning… something. However, I'm not going to say. Also, yes, Sora and co will be in the same vicinity as Roxas among other things. Next chapter we have some fun stuff, though, and I can't wait to start writing! Anyway, as usual, Reviews are appreciated.

Also, believe it or not, I am considering another fanfic based after this one… though it will NOT have any relation to KH3, etc. It'll be totally spawned from my own ideors. The way this story's turning out lately, it's becoming different from KH2 as well, so yeah. Aint it amazing how you get ideas you never even considered when starting a fanfic? XD Course, one thing at a time… though, I may possibly give a teaser about my next fanfic idea later on. This one is going to take a LONG time, as it is… I expect it to be novel sized by the time it's done. O.o I may not even be done 'til next summer. Hmm, I may give a teaser on plot ideas for this later on as well, as it would be more logical. If you'd be interested in either, just lemme know in those reviews! XD


	13. The Capture

Woo! Another update, ladies and gents! Sorry it took so long, but I had finals in school, so yeah. Anyway, this chapter is a tad longer than usual. Also, let me take the time to thank my reviewers. I really appreciate the time you take to read this fanfic. So, without further ado, chapter ten!

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**Chapter 10: The Capture**

Sora awoke to the sound of Gummi engines blasting through the sky. Already, the ship had reached the next world, which, from the looks of it, was already damaged enough by the Organization. Several auras of darkness could be seen from above, and the Gummi's radar was bleeping like crazy. It basically read the whole area as a danger zone, which definitely wasn't good. So, as the spiky haired teenager awoke from his sudden slumber, he found his pals Donald and Goofy staring wide eyed at the dastardly sight before them.

"Ugh… guys," Sora grumbled, slowly getting up to his feet, "what's going on?" Clearly, he was still rather drowsy from his little snooze, as the look planted on his mug, along with the groggy sound of his voice couldn't mean otherwise. However, just hearing him actually say something was enough to divert his two pals' attention from the radar, even if only briefly.

"Sora!" shouted Donald, a smirk forming upon his beak. "Thank goodness you're awake. Goofy and I had to pilot this thing all by ourselves while you had that nap of yours. What's the big idea, anyway? That's the second time you've done that…" Brow furrowed, the poultry mage awaited his comrade's response, as he was the impatient sort.

Shaking his head, the Keybearer explained, "Well, I had another dream about Roxas… and he was in some weird forest. I tried to say something to him, but he just ran. I don't even know why. After that, he was… in one of my memories. It was really weird. He was freaking out too… And, well, the last thing I saw was him in this dungeon with Belle and some weird object things, and it sounds like the Beast is in trouble—and Roxas."

Goofy gave his typical "A-hyuck!" while scratching his nose. Even though Sora's description of this dream sounded all sinister and junk, the dopey canine was still able to find himself content, for whatever reason. "Gawrsh, Sora," he chuckled, pointing towards the Gummi Window, "we're nearing…uh…well, the radar says it's 'Beast's Castle'. I guess we'll get to help them after all." Sora's somewhat melancholy expression was quick to change. For once, it seemed as if he would actually get to meet Roxas! Finally, he could find out more about the mysterious blonde haired kid.

"Man, that's great!" Sora exclaimed, giving his typical beaming grin. It was plain to see that he was excited about the whole notion. "Well, the whole Organization thing isn't… or Beast being in trouble, but Roxas! I can't believe that he's so close by. If only Riku were this easy to find… Oh well, he'll turn up eventually." All this hyperactive joy the Keybearer was giving was simply insane, well, at least to Donald. Then again, after going on one adventure with the kid, he was well aware of his ecstatic emotions. Therefore, he simply sighed, turning back to the radar.

"You know," explained the feathery ball of temperamental rage, "we're just about to land this thing, so you should get ready. There's a lot of heartless… and the Organization, and you can't forget that, Sora. You too, Goofy. We'll have to deal with this together." Sora simply groaned at Donald's little lecture. He already knew all this, despite the fact that a reminder didn't hurt. The thing is, he was more interested in finding the blonde haired stranger than anything else right now… especially since he knew that he was so darn close.

"I know, I know…" sighed the over enthusiastic teenager. "I'm just a bit excited, that's all. Plus, if we find Roxas, the whole mission will be a LOT easier. After all, he has _two_ Keyblades. You gotta admit that he's pretty powerful, no?" Donald just grumbled to himself. All this Roxas talk was getting on his nerves right now, especially since he was trying to land a ship.

"Yeah, sure…" he retorted, setting the Gummi to its landing settings. "Anyway, we're just about there, so hold on tight!" With a quick flick on one of the buttons, and a slight pull on some levers, the vehicle began to spiral downwards. When the poultry mage had said to hold on tight, he was totally right. Such a spinning and insane way to land surely would make anyone with weak nerves sick, and it was already hard enough for the trio to avoid… tossing the old lunch monkey, so to speak.

Why Donald had chosen such a spectacularly insane way to land was totally beyond Sora and Goofy. Perhaps it was just a way for the fowl to get the two to shut up. Whatever the reason, though, it didn't change the fact that the Gummi ship was twirling downwards and already nearing the ground. As it went closer and closer to the solid earth below, the ship began to slow and even itself out to avoid any damage. In short, the whole spin drive had just been for show. Luckily, the nausea had ended, leaving the threesome a tad dizzy as the Gummi gently landed on the surface of the world.

Ignoring the twirling sensation in their stomachs, Sora and co quietly exited their ship. Outside were the outskirts of a freezing forest, presumably where Roxas had fainted. The blistering temperature wasn't any fairer to the trio of heroes either, as each of them found themselves shivering like mad. What made things worse is that it was night time, meaning even worse temperatures. It was quite fortunate that the Castle was a short distance away, otherwise they too could have ended up in Roxas' situation. Before heading off, though, Donald quietly cast a spell on the Gummi Ship in order to conceal it.

It was almost instantly that the appearance of the vehicle was cast under a veil of invisibility. What once was a red space ship now appeared to be nothing at all. Grinning smugly, Donald turned around and trotted with pleasure towards the castle. Not wanting to stay in the chilly forest, of course, Sora and Goofy were quick to walk the short distance towards the bizarre manor. Even then, though, they were chilled beyond belief as they trekked through the limits of the wooded area.

As the trio made their way through the vast army of trees, they found that the shape of the large castle came ever closer. Even from a distance, it was easy to see that said palace of sorts would surely be less unpleasantly cold than where they stood at the moment. Soon, they were just inches away from the entry way, and it was a good thing too. After all, as brave as Sora and the gang were, even they had their limits.

Sora stood, gazing upon the door, unsure of what to do. He wanted to enter and all, but what if an ambush was ready? Would it be worth taking any necessary risks? Stuttering slightly, he exclaimed, "S-so, do you think we should… g-go in? I mean... shouldn't we get our weapons ready just in case?" Both Donald and Goofy scratched their chins at this notion. It was pretty sensible, to say the least.

"Gawrsh, you're right, Sora…" Goofy alleged. "For all we know, that Organization XIII could be waitin' for us inside. A-hyuck." Keeping that giddy expression on his mug, the defender reached for his shield. Even then, though, he looked oddly joyful… if not a little idiotic. Shrugging, Donald followed this procedure, readying his mage staff and waddling towards the door way. Following his two friends was the Keybearer, his weapon also ready for action.

Now that they were ready, the threesome quietly pushed the door aside, not sure what to expect from the strange citadel. To their surprise, though, the inside seemed rather… well, empty. There was scarcely any light illuminating the area, spare that of torches, and not a single heartless stood waiting for the heroes. If anything, it didn't even look like the place was invaded by the Organization. Relieved by this sight, Sora and co made their way into the main hall of Beast's Castle.

Despite the vacant appearance of this hall, both Donald and Goofy kept their eyes peeled for any sudden surprises. Their expressions were futile attempts of seriousness that actually were very amusing to look at. Then again, with large, cartoony animals, what else could one expect? Sora, on the other hand, seemed rather relaxed. To him, this really wasn't anything worth worrying about.

"So…" murmured the spiky haired hero, gazing upon the numerous features within the fortress, "what do you guys think we should do? I wanna find Roxas and all, but I just _know_ Donald's gonna go on about the mission… and I am still a little worried about Beast and stuff. You think we should look for that dungeon or find the Organization?" Raising his hand, the poultry mage was, sure enough, ready with an instant answer.

"That's easy!" he squawked, adjusting his hat, "We should –" Before the fowl could finish his little statement, he and the others found themselves interrupted quite abruptly.

"Well, it's about time you got here, Sora. And here I thought I'd end up playing hero by myself."

That voice… there was something about it that struck Sora as utterly familiar. From the cocky, yet laid back tone, to the precise wording, it seemed as if the owner of said voice could only be one person. Said individual was someone the Keybearer had almost forgot about, due to his sudden interest in Roxas… which was saying a lot, since it was his best friend. Yep, that's right… Riku.

Hearing this welcoming sound, the fifteen year old instantly whirled around, finding his suspicions proven correct. Standing before him and his comrades was the silver haired boy known only as Riku. Everything, from his aquamarine eyes that were solemn and piercing to his yellow, sleeveless top and waders were all there. His appearance simply looked exactly like that from Sora's memories with no visible differences. This wasn't really a problem to Sora, of course, since he had no idea of the time span that had gone by during his slumber.

All that aside, the somewhat stubborn rushed right towards his best friend with a wide smirk planted across his face. He was about to give him a friendly hug until he found himself on the receiving end of quite a few odd stares from Donald and Goofy. Each of them seemed a little weirded out, mostly because Sora and Riku were about the same height, and the latter was supposed to be a year older. Heck, even Riku was a little bothered by this, as he had edged away from his pal slightly, brushing his silver bangs out of his eyes.

Still wearing that overly cheery smirk, Sora exclaimed, "Riku! You don't know how happy I am to see you. Where've you been?" In all this giddy goodness, it was obvious that poor Sora was totally clueless about the whole situation. Either way, his naivety is what made him unique, and Riku didn't seem to mind much. Heck, he bore a rather relaxed smile on his face as he shook his head at his stubborn comrade.

"Heh, I kinda figured you'd freak out," chuckled Riku with a sigh. "You always were a sap like that. You _know_ the Organization will use that to your advantage. Stupid nobodies." He slowly made his way over to Donald and Goofy and tilted his head. "I guess you two haven't changed a bit. It figures. You're still the same old lackey's for the King. Anyway, guys, we have to get going… those stupid cloaked freaks are around, and frankly, I don't want to get on their bad side."

The threesome eagerly nodded at this notion, or rather, Donald and Goofy bore eager expressions, while Sora's was rather slow and uncertain. Then again, he was still clinging onto the subject of Roxas, despite his happiness and joy from reuniting with his best friend. In a bothersome tone, he complained, "But what about the prisoners? Shouldn't we help them first?" Groaning, Riku simply shook his head.

"Look, Sora," he explained, "we don't have time. Just…gah, look, just come with me, so we can take care of things." Pausing, he shot a narrow glare at the poultry mage and his rather slow minded companion, "As for you two…" he added, "why don't you go deal with those prisoners? Maybe then you can do something productive for once." He then concluded by saying, "by the way, the dungeon is in the west wing."

Fury shot right through the feathery ball of anger. Even Donald's beak had been contorted in a frustrated manor. If anything, he was willing to snap right at Riku for that little insult, had it not been for Goofy and Sora giving him that 'NO.' look. So, as aggravated as he was, the fowl grumbled, "Fine, sure, we'll go and rescue those prisoners…"

Still ticked off, the loony bird turned away from the others and headed due east with Goofy following closely behind. Unlike his easily frustrated comrade, the defender seemed far less agitated by this little mission. But, then again, he wasn't near as serious and hard headed as his partner, so that was a likely reason. Whatever the reason, he eagerly ambled towards his next destination. When the duo had vanished from sight, the Keybearer took another glance at Riku.

"So," he pondered, leisurely twirling his unusual weapon, "what exactly are we gonna do? Is Organization XIII after us? You weren't really that specific…" The silver haired teen crossed his arms, giving Sora that "Duh" look. Embarrassed as he was, Sora continued his questioning. "C'mon, Riku. Just tell me… where are we going? You could at least tell me that."

Agitated, Riku resounded, "Just follow me, ok? I know what I'm doing, Sora, and you really have to learn to trust me… It's not like last time. Ansem doesn't have control over my body. I'm real. I'm serious." Even Riku's expression beamed with an air of solemn emotion. Riku clearly wasn't the type to make up with lame excuses to get things done, and Sora knew well of this. He was just a little, well, confused and anxious, which is why his behavior was a little odd around his best friend.

Heaving a sigh, Sora decided that he was ready to go…well, wherever it was Riku was planning on leading him. He tried his very best to keep a straight face, though there was this eerie feeling inside his heart that made him contemplate over certain negativity. "Alright, Riku, I trust you," he casually said. "I guess I'm just a little stressed and confused. Anyway, I guess we should get going, huh?" Riku's response was nothing short of a face palm. From the looks of things, he was glad that he and Sora could FINALLY get moving.

There wasn't really a reason for the two to say another word. Getting a move on was of utmost importance instead. Before leading Sora towards the Ball Room, though, Riku was quick to draw his Soul Eater, a sword which was dark in color and bore the shape of a demonic wing with a jeweled handle in which resembled an eye. This sword had been given to him by Maleficent, but even then, it served as a useful tool for fighting heartless. With this weapon at the ready, he headed towards the large doors that lead into the Ball Room. Sora, who had already prepared his Keyblade ahead of time, eagerly followed his comrade, ready to take on whatever foes lurked within.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Castle Dungeon**_

_Drip._ _Drip. _Deep in the dungeon, there was little calamity. Instead, the group of prisoners simply sat at leisure, huddled together to keep themselves warm in the musty vicinity. A constant dripping from a leak above kept the place from being silent, not to mention that, by now, the resonance was becoming horribly annoying. Roxas shook his head in dismay. He longed to escape this prison and continue his retreat, but in his current condition, such a task was neigh impossible. After all, his leg could very well have been broken, and due to the chilly blizzard out in the forest, he had become terribly ill. Luckily Mrs. Potts, the teapot from before, had been able to help him a little by serving him some tea.

"Man, what I'd do for some sea salt ice cream right now," he murmured to himself, adjusting his position ever so slightly. "I think I officially hate castles… just like I hate Sora, and DiZ…and everyone besides my friends, who are gone." Strangely enough, him muttering the name of Sora was enough to raise the brow of a certain Belle, who scrambled towards the teenager with a curious visage.

"You know Sora?" she inquired in much fascination. "Please, tell me…" If you were to sum up Belle's mood, I suppose desperate would be a likely assumption. Quite possibly, this was due to being trapped in a cell for so long with little food or water, not to mention torture from the sadistic Larxene. Then, of course, you had to remember how gruesome the Beast had become, and due to her attachment to said monster, that had to be the worst. With all this negativity, one could see why she wanted to be saved from this agony. Roxas, on the other hand, wasn't exactly thrilled.

Unpleased as he was about Belle's desperation for his other, Roxas knew he would have to come off as polite. Ignoring the girl wouldn't do, nor would having a Sora rant. If anything, he would have to give some lousy excuse to divert her attention. Ready for the worst, he responded to Belle, "Uhm… I don't think I know any Sora. You must have misheard me. Uh… I'm sorry?" Saying such a lie almost made Roxas feel bad deep down in his hollow area without a heart. Only his developing revulsion for Sora kept himself from truly feeling sympathetic. The irony of it all was that, for someone who was against revenge and disgust from the start, he was sure starting to have a change of heart, or lack thereof.

The response clearly was not something Belle had expected nor desired. Her hopes of a possible rescue had been crushed by this last notation, and now she would have to continue wallowing in her sorrows until the moment came where everything would return to its normal state. Seeing her expression shift from something of joy to a poor, hopeless expression nearly hurt Roxas, but he knew it was the only way to keep his identity secret. Unable to tolerate this sadness any longer, he turned himself towards the wall, trying not to cause any more pain in his injured limb.

All of the sudden, a faint creak could be heard, as cold footsteps echoed within the dungeon walls. A sinister snicker caught the attention of the prisoners, Roxas included, who gazed upwards only to see Larxene, kunai in hands. She was clearly prepared to torment the poor unfortunate souls, which wouldn't exactly be an enjoyable experience, to say the least. Her eyes shone with a piercing glow, and mercy was impossible to spot. If anything, she was going to make this little torture session a living heck.

"_Well, well, well," _purred the Savage Nymph with mock pleasure. Her glare shot through the group of prisoners, phasing every single one, Roxas aside. "_I've been given these nasty orders to torture you all… unless you tell me exactly what the boss wants. And by the boss, I mean Zexion. Now, he says that he wants me to keep you alive, but don't think that means I'm going to go easy on you." _For a brief moment, she took the time to scan through each prisoner. A majority of them had terrified expressions, likely due to previous torture sessions, but Roxas… well, he was just sitting there, looking like he couldn't care less. To Larxene, he would be the perfect little nobody to squeeze all sorts of juicy information out of. Plus, he'd make a lovely target for her kunai.

Casually, the sadistic member of Organization XIII trekked towards Roxas, her gaze not escaping his eyes even once. She tossed her dangerously sharp weapons in the air a few times, catching each one with relative easy. "_Well, Roxas, I think you'd just **love** to play with me… Don't you like games?" _her voice was falsely sympathetic when she spoke to XIII, who merely turned away from the cruel vixen. The sight of Roxas remaining unphased aroused her savage nature even more so, as she suddenly reached out at the fifteen year old, snarling in supposed annoyance. "_Look, squirt, I don't have time for your snobby little attitude, so I guess I'll have to give you the worst possible, non- lethal punishment I can dish up." _

Again, Roxas said nothing. It was as if he were trying to get on Larxene's bad side. Then again, he was in a bitter and perplexing mood as it was, so who was to say he wasn't trying to do so? Either way, within moments, he found himself being flung towards a wall, kunai pinning him in one place. Once Larxene was satisfied with Roxas' position, she backed off ever so slightly, only to send a surge of electricity towards the teenager's body. Agony and misery filled Roxas' body, which twitched as the constant surges shot through him. Cackling, she increased the voltage, while chucking two kunai at his already injured leg. Sure, it didn't seem like much, but hey, she was just warming up.

The only thing the other prisoners could do at this time was watch from a safe distance, as Roxas got this horrid treatment. Rebelling would only lead to their own suffering. Even with that thought in mind, though, the display of sparks and kunai wasn't very pleasant to watch. Enduring it would clearly be an even worse concept, and Roxas was barely able to avoid screaming in anguish. Larxene was actually going relatively easy on the boy, despite her threat in which she had said that she'd give him her worst. Perhaps this was because she didn't want any accidents. No matter, at least Roxas was having the worst time of his life.

As the voltage continued to increase, a faint creak could be heard coming from the door. Of course, Larxene had been far too occupied with this meager torture to pay attention to the audible footsteps coming from behind. Nah, he was busy tormenting poor Roxas, which had caused Donald and Goofy to get an upper hand as far as the element of surprise went. Yes, the two oversized animals slowly approached the nobody, awestruck by the way she was tormenting the blonde haired teenager.

This display of electricity was very unnerving, at least for Goofy. As he stood there, he couldn't help but twitch every time Roxas squirmed and/or groaned. To the canine, it was like something from one of those creepy movies involving the electric chair and execution. Donald, on the other hand, was just plain annoyed. Maybe it was because none of the other prisoners were doing a thing, or maybe he just wanted to snap at that nobody and her electric powers. In fact, he sniggered before aiming his little staff right towards XII and sending a jolt of his own Thunder spell towards her. But… that wasn't exactly a bright move on his part.

Yes, the spell DID work on Larxene fairly well, but, the thing is, since it was her element, she didn't come out harmed. In actuality, the only thing Donald's little spark did was catch her attention. Yes, from the moment those white hot sparks jolted the Savage Nymph; she instantly whirled around, coming face to face with the king's lackeys. This hadn't surprised her much at all, since Zexion had mentioned how he had picked up their scent just a few minutes prior to this little get together of sorts. In actuality, the poultry mage and his semi idiotic comrade were the ones in shock, pun definitely intended.

"_Well," _Larxene cooed, approaching her attackers, "_if it isn't the King's stooges. I remember you two… though, I guess the feeling isn't mutual. You poor things don't even remember that thunder is my element. Pathetic." _Both Donald and Goofy could see that this Organization member was going to be a threat. The way she had been shocking Roxas while throwing kunai at him was the perfect example of her merciless attitude. Even the way she taunted the two proved that Larxene was anything but friendly.

Admittedly, Donald realized that his little spell hadn't proven useful in the least. This itself was a shame, as his Thunder spell was one of his most powerful techniques. Simply seeing Larxene shrug it off just proved how powerful Organization XIII could be, and he and Goofy had yet to even fight a member yet! However, due to the circumstances, it seemed that a brawl of sorts was intimate.

"_What, are you two too scared to speak to little old me?" _continued the sadist in her taunting manner. "_I would have expected something more entertaining from you freaks, but I guess beggars can't be choosers." _Slowly advancing towards the two flunkies of the King, Larxene's visage grew more and more vicious. Soon enough, one could expect her to lash out, just so she could see more suffering. "_It's bad enough that you idiots had to crash our little party here at the castle… but no, you had to interrupt my fun too? Now you've done it… I'm sorry, but it looks like I'm going to have to destroy you."_

That was the final proof that Larxene's fuse had been lit. Her saying that she was going to destroy Donald and Goofy was so blatant, that even one with a low brain capacity could understand. Heck, the brutally injured Roxas couldn't even help but come to his senses. His eyes widened when he finally realized what Larxene was up to. Had he not been pinned to the wall or badly beaten, the thirteenth member would have surely done something simply because of his extreme dislike for Larxene and her methods. As for the two lackeys of King Mickey, well, they were quick to ready their weapons once more, backing up ever so slightly. Though they would never admit, the duo was indeed fearful of this new enemy. This fear simply would give XII more pleasure in the long run, though.

Roxas tried his best to budge from his place against the cold, brick wall, but there was no avail. With each movement, he was treated with more agony, namely in his wounded leg. Despite his horrid condition, though, he actually WANTED to help Donald and Goofy, strange as it sounds. If he could just catch their attention, then maybe he would be able to lend a hand before things started to heat up. After all, the only thing anyone was doing at the moment was pacing around the room. Seeing as he couldn't really move, and screaming would only tire him, he decided it was best to try one last thing. Summoning the Keyblade and simply flinging it wouldn't be too hard, and maybe it would serve as a decent distraction. Plus, it was a not-so-painful tactic, as neither of his arms had been damaged.

_WHOOSH! _Luckily, the Keyblade had been thrown with enough force to knock Larxene off her feet. Said weapon had collided with her legs, causing her to topple over. The Savage Nymph was clearly surprised, as she had all but forgotten about Roxas. Not only had the sudden force of the blade caught Larxene's attention, but it seemed that even Donald and Goofy became aware of the injured teen. Upon this realization, the fowl began to realize that Roxas could prove a good help in fighting this strange member of the Organization.

"Hey, you!" beamed Donald, waving his staff around. "Sora told us all about you because of these so called dreams, so maybe you can give us a hand! Here…" Cordially, he aimed his mage's staff towards Roxas, quickly muttering to himself. A bight beam of light was emitted, flowing into the teen's very being. The prisoners within the cell stared with awe at this pleasant display of light. Within mere moments, what was once an assortment of injuries was now replaced by a perfectly healed state of being. Why, Donald's cure spell had undone even the sickness that Roxas had gained from being out in the storm. Talk about magic!

As for Larxene, one could say that she wasn't as entranced. Heck, if anything, she was as close to furious as her kind could get. First she had to be intruded by two "wimps", and now she was "rudely" knocked down by some "runt's" Keyblade. This was all but more fuel for the fire, and she was beginning to lose patience. Snarling, she exclaimed, "_That's it… now you've got me in a FOUL mood. No more games, kiddies, it looks like I'm going to turn things up a notch. Go ahead and have the little twerp, though, you'll need him."_

Snapping her fingers, Larxene was able to gather all her Kunai with little effort. One must remember that nobodies such as herself could simply summon their weapons much like a Keybearer calls upon the Keyblade. Doing this caused Roxas to fall right onto the solid ground. At least he had been cured via Donald's magic, or else fighting would have been near impossible. Anyway, upon being reunited with solid ground, the teen rushed over to Donald and Goofy, who were already in battle positions prior to this situation.

From then on, things changed. Instead of just standing there, Larxene instantly gave another snap, causing sparks to suddenly fill the area. Walls became lined with white hot electricity, as did the ceiling. Even the floor had sparks pop up every now and then. However, this was just a warm up. As Donald whirred up a nice fire spell, charging head on, he found that the Savage Nymph had suddenly warped out of sight. A faint buzz filled the air, and in mere seconds, the rump of the poultry mage was met by kunai. That wasn't the end, though. Right as Goofy and Roxas ran up to counter Larx's moves, the nobody warped, grabbing Donald by the leg. Upon reappearing, she flung the bag of feathers towards the surging wall, causing him much pain.

Goofy made a valiant attempt to stun her by flinging his shield at her waist, but due to quick reflexes, XI was able to warp past this as well. Oh, yes, she was in a fighting mood alright. In such a state, she was a terrible force of swiftness and power. Roxas tried a head on attack, but Larx ended up sticking out a leg, tripping the teen. When the defender known only as Goofy came charging up from behind, she kicked him in the shin and sent a stream of electricity up his spine. Wincing in agony still, Donald darted towards XI once more, firing his flames a second time. Yawning, Larxene warped behind him again, kicking him in the back.

This time, instead of simply hitting the wall, Donald managed to fly right towards Goofy, who was charging at the Nymph with no avail at that moment. Of course, due to the extreme speed of the fowl, he sent Goofy towards the electric wall as well. Several volts made way in the two partners' bodies, each one causing severe soreness among other things. All the while, Larxene was giggling to herself. Roxas, however, was being quite a bit more intelligent after that tripping stunt. Instead of charging again, he merely paced in circles, eyeing his adversary's movements with keen precision. She warped from place to place, anticipating the next offensive maneuver, a sadistic smirk beaming across her very face. Her swift warping would make attacking difficult, and when she started shooting her kunai again, things would only get worse.

Donald and Goofy once again pulled themselves away from the electric wall, darting right up to Roxas, who was still just moving about, eyes wide, watching Larx's little taunt. Neither of the trio spoke to one another, as they simply maneuvered about. It was only when a sudden whirr in the air could be heard that this sudden calmness was broken. Instantly, Roxas about-faced, coming face-to-face with his opponent, just narrowly managing to land a hit on her gut. Instantly, Larxene flew backwards, landing against the wall, though she was immune to the voltage. This bought Donald enough time to use that flame spell from before, sending blazing flames up the sadist's cloak right before she broke away from the barrier and vanished once more.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Ballroom**_

_WHAM! _A small cloud of darkness erupted, as a captive heart broke free from the savage beast that could only be described as a heartless. Riku heaved a sigh, lifting up his soul eater once more to strike another foe. He and Sora had been fighting several heartless and nobodies for the past few moments. It had started out with mere shadows and dusks, but, as of now, larger enemies filled the vicinity, such as Large Bodies and Assassins. Luckily, between the two of them, they were able to withstand their attackers this whole time. By now, there weren't so many heartless left. Each dark denizen had been slaughtered prior to this via Keyblade or sword. Only a few soldiers, with their armor that looked so obscure, and their claws blood red, and some dusks, still as contorted as ever, remained.

First came the dusks, sliding across the dance floor in their strange way. If you were to count the pests, three would be an accurate number. Still, dusks were strange little buggers, and, typical of their fighting style, they made an attempt to surround Sora and Riku and knock them down. Luckily, the duo knew better, as they both performed the reversal technique, right before digging their weapons into the hollow shells. Upon defeating the remaining dusks, the duo approached the soldiers, who were hopping about mindlessly with their claws at the ready. Number wise, there were approximately two of these fellows, making this little match totally even. The duo charged forth, coming head on with their heartless opponents, claws met Keyblade, as they faced off. However, being the weak heartless that they were, the soldiers were no match for Sora and Riku, and thus, they were easily defeated.

Once the ballroom was clear, the two came to an abrupt halt. Beads of sweat ran down their faces from the sheer exhaustion of the fight. With the lack of fiends, the ballroom had a more pleasant appearance, with its smooth floor, that shone with cleanliness, and the bright lights up above. It really was a relaxing and tranquil place, and it was nice that all the heartless were gone. Slicking back his chocolate hair, Sora said in a rugged tone, "Well, Riku, I guess that's that… but where's the Organization? I thought you said they were here…"

Riku stood facing the opposite direction of Sora. His shoulders rose and fell suddenly, and he lifted his head backwards, beginning to cackle with sheer madness. This was so peculiar, that Sora felt plainly uneasy. Nevertheless, Riku continued his freakish laughter, a dark aura forming at his feet. "Sora, Sora, Sora," he hissed, his body being overtaken by the strange shadows surrounding his being, "you are one foolish child…" Suddenly, during all this madness, Riku's clothes began to take a new shape. What was once a pair of waders and a yellow top became a black cloak, dark as night. Simple sneakers became leather boots, and his half gloves changed as well. Soon, Riku was clad in Organization XIII attire, but the transformation did not end there. His silver locks reshaped, now growing shorter in the back, but with incredibly long bangs covering half of his face. His once aquamarine eyes were now stained yellow, and his flesh pale and scarred. In a matter of moments, Riku had revealed himself as Zexion.

"R-Riku…?" Sora muttered, approaching his so called 'friend' with caution. "Are you ok… you look kinda…different." Different was an understatement. Zexion was a totally different being than Riku. Despite the fact that he was about the same height that Riku had been a year ago, and the similarity in their hair color, he was scarcely the same. His initial response to Sora's questioning was really just more snickering and a shake of his head. Once that was all done, he turned around, glaring right at Sora.

"_You idiot," _snapped the Cloaked Schemer, tugging on the sleeves of his cloak. "_I think it should be obvious by now that I'm not Riku…No, my name is Zexion… and you had best keep that in mind when the time comes…" _He crossed his arms and shifted his expression from a grimace to a toothy smirk, as Sora stared in awe at VI.

Puzzled, Sora asked in a squeaky tone, "Are you…are you a member of Organization XIII?" Naïve is a perfect way to describe Sora. It was as if the black cloak hadn't given away Zexion's identity…or rather, his pseudo identity. No matter, the Schemer simply groaned and decided to answer the boy's little question to some extent either way.

"_Yes, yes, I should think it could be assumed by now that I'm…a member,"_ he growled, brushing back his bangs, "_I'm actually quite surprised by your foolishness… You're nothing but a pawn to Organization XIII… Xemnas, their leader… why, he is only using you as a tool. I won't reveal why… I still need their trust for the time being, but do be aware of this…" _ Once again, his expression changed, from a solemn gaze back to a contorted grin. "_Playing with them like puppets… it brings me much joy…something they could never truly comprehend… being so…empty."_

"Wait," blundered Sora in confusion, "you're with the Organization…so that makes you a nobody, right?"

"_Yes, yes, I should think that was obvious…heh…" _responded the Cloaked Schemer with much annoyance. To him, Sora was an insolent child who went around playing hero for a worthless cause. He proved strong in heart, though it seemed that he was still a tad childish in many ways. Plus, an Organization XIII member would have to be a nobody, right? Anyone with eyes could see that. Yes, but the fact remained that Zexion was a very skillful manipulator… everyone was a pawn to him.

"You're really weird," mocked the Keybearer in a cocky tone, rolling his eyes. "That, and I never thought the Organization would recruit someone, well, so…young? I mean, you're barely older than me, and you're out doing their bidding? What's up with that?" Zexion simply scowled at that comment, aggravated. Too many people as of late seemed to insult him for his physical age, which, to him, was rather pathetic. Roxas aside, he could indeed be considered the youngest member, as could Demyx, but that's beside the point.

"_By the way, Sora," _VI added, lifting his hand into the air, "_I know someone who is just **dying **to meet you… heh, the sheer irony of it all…" _Snapping his fingers, the Cloaked Schemer gave the signal to a certain nobody known only as Marluxia, who instantly appeared from behind, completely hidden by his dark, mysterious cloak. "_He's all yours… but remember, Vexen wanted him in one piece, so don't do anything you'd regret…" _With that, he backed away from the utterly confused Keybearer and his ally, vanishing in a cloud of darkness. Now, only two beings remained in the ballroom.

Marluxia, hidden by his hood, stepped forward, twirling a strange, blue rose between his gloved fingers. His voice was filled with the sheer sound of pseudo pleasure, as he snickered. Nervous, Sora skid backwards, a little unnerved by this stranger. The Keyblade appeared in his hand due to this potential threat. Fearful, the teenager exclaimed, "Who-Who are you?! And…what do you want?!"

"_You don't remember me?" _cooed the Graceful assassin in a seemingly upset tone. "_Why, I am shocked! Though, perhaps I could refresh your memory…" _Calmly, he crossed his arms and came to a stop, huffing ever so slightly. He inhaled before saying, "_To find is to lose, and to lose is to find… I should think that will prove enough to enlighten you." _Those words echoed through Sora's mind… he knew them from something, but he wasn't quite sure. Earlier, on the Gummi, he had muttered said phrase to himself with no recollection of its origin.

Sora backed off some more, still unnerved by this 'stranger' in black. A strange throbbing could be felt in his heart, as the phrase "To find is to lose and to lose is to find" echoed within his deep, mystifying thoughts. Images of a strange, white castle flashed within his inner eye, as foreign memories bounced through the bowels of his mind. All this time, Marluxia impatiently stood, eyeing Sora in much annoyance. The teenager hadn't done a single offensive maneuver, which was far too boring for the Graceful Assassin. More or less, the fifteen year old was utterly puzzled by his presence. Such was no good, and so, the eleventh member of Organization XIII casually reached for the hood of his cloak, slowly removing it from his face. From the moment those unruly locks of pink hair were revealed, the Keybearer plummeted to the ground, clutching his head vigorously.

So many strange images were coming into place. A castle, the strange white one from before… Sora, Donald, and Goofy had been there before, somehow. There was something about cards and memories, but it was incredibly faint and dodgy. Still, seeing Marluxia's face had somehow triggered some form of reaction within his heart, releasing fragments of the Oblivion memories. In the process, the boy was fully vulnerable and an easy target. Though XI had desired a little revenge, a simple whack of the scythe would have to suffice. Organization XIII wanted him in one piece, anyway. With little effort, he summoned his pink weapon, its blade gleaming from the light above… though, in order to knock the child out, he would have to use the blunt end.

_WHACK!_ Scythe met the head of the quivering teen, rendering him unconscious in a matter of seconds. For someone who had saved countless worlds, taken on hordes of heartless, and survived Castle Oblivion, this was horrendously pathetic, to say the least. Still, the job had been done, despite the lack of any real challenge, so Marluxia, muttering with displeasure, lifted up the boy, flinging him upon his shoulder, and stepped into a portal, slowly vanishing from sight. The ball room was now vacant, not a being in sight. Sora had been captured.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**The Dungeon**_

The battle had been going on for quite some time now. Larxene had indeed proven a formidable opponent with her brisk speed and vicious fighting style. This whole time, the trio of heroes had to keep themselves on their toes if they were to even hope to compete with the savage Nymph. Several times, Donald had been thrown against the wall of high voltage electricity, while Goofy had to continuously hold up his shield against incoming kunai. As for Roxas, he had to dart around several times, keeping his eyes peeled for his foe before striking her with his weapon. As of now, the fight was slowing down quite a bit, as all four fighters were equally exhausted. Yes, even Larxene had grown incredibly tired of this fiasco.

"_I'm… I'm just warming up!" _panted the Savage Nymph, slowly falling towards the ground. Her normally perky, antennae-like hair was now drooping ever so slightly from all her fatigue. Seeing this, Roxas released his Keyblade and sat towards the floor, stroking his sweat covered face with his equally clammy hands. Even though he had been completely cured from all of his injuries, the boy was still somewhat weaker than the norm, to say the least. Donald and Goofy also slowed down their pace, nearly falling face down on the floor, as they had endured quite a shocking brawl, quite literally, in fact.

Suddenly, the dungeon door flung open, as an all too familiar figure emerged from the hall, bearing a pleased smirk. True enough, Zexion appeared quite content, as he stepped down towards the group below. "_Larxene, Sora has been detained by Marluxia," _exclaimed the Cloaked Schemer, resting a hand on his ally's shoulder, sniggering all at once. "_There's no need to continue toying with these fools any longer. Come, we have better things to do…" _He helped his fellow member up to her feet, walking her towards the entry/exit of said dungeon. Larx herself wasn't exactly comforted by this, though she didn't really react much. She was far too tired to do much, anyway. Before the two were out of sight, however, they made sure the door was locked tight…just to prevent any escapes. Now, the prisoners, Donald, Goofy, and Roxas were all kept tight inside a cell.

"Gawrsh!" Goofy shouted, his eyes filled with fright. "Sora's been kidnapped! What're we gonna do, Donald?" His face sagged, and it was plain to see that the canine was incredibly worried. The fowl filled with temper also bared the same fears and doubts as his comrade, as it just seemed unbelievable that someone as strong as Sora could get captured that easily. The prisoners simply whispered to themselves, while Roxas stood, back facing D and G. He didn't seem to care about Sora.

"Goofy…" sighed Donald, adjusting his hat, "looks like we'll have to rescue him. We do owe a lot to Sora, and he's our friend… but, we're going to have to figure our way out." Both pals took a brief moment to contemplate. Clearly, they were locked in a cell with a bunch of prisoners. Busting down the door would prove difficult, and digging would be dangerous. That left one clearly obvious choice: Roxas. Being a Keybearer, he would be able to remove the lock… how oddly perfect.

Pleased by the thought, Goofy exclaimed, "Hey, why don't we as Roxas for help?" Roxas instantly shook from his position, his eyes wide in surprise. True, it was predictable that they would want his assistance, but he wasn't expecting it so quickly. Next thing you know, they'd be forcing him to tag along with them!

End of Chapter

**AN: **So, there you have it… Sora has been captured! I have quite the plans ahead for the next few chapters, and, yes, Roxas will be forced to come with Donald and Goofy. Chapter 11 is in progress, though it is on the school computer.

Oh, and I am going to revive a fic project with my friend and start a side fanfic staring the Riku Replica, so the next update may take a week or so. Just letting you know ahead of time if I take a while to update. 'Tis all.

As usual, reviews are encouraged, as I appreciate thoughts and constructive critique!


	14. Keybearer's Dilemma

Wow. It seems that whenever I say I won't update for a while, I end up doing so, but when I say I WILL update soon, I don't. Well, anyway, here's the next chapter, though it is a bit shorter than the last.

**Chapter 11: Keybearer's Dilemma**

"_You did well, Marluxia… you did very well."_

In the basement of the Castle that Never was, two Organization members stood, Vexen and Marluxia, examining Sora with much interest. It had only been a few hours since the Keybearer had been detained by none other than the Graceful Assassin, and now the boy was being strapped on a table and treated like a test subject for Vexen, number IV, respectively. The Chilly Academic stood, crouched down before the Keybearer, preparing some equipment. He had been given orders from the Superior to 'adjust' Sora for whatever reason. No matter, a loyal member like himself would not let Xemnas down.

"_You know, Vexen," _Marluxia purred, staring down at the brunette with a sinister beam upon his visage, "_it's quite interesting how he sort of, well, broke down and started clutching at his head from the moment I removed my hood. Perhaps it has to do with the memories of Oblivion?" _An eerie spark lit up in Vexen's eyes in response to that little proclamation. Being the science nut that he was, anything to do with things even as simple as memories caused much interest to erupt in his mind.

"_The forgotten memories, of course!" _shouted Vexen in an accomplished tone. "_It all makes sense, really. The boy is slowly remembering those dear memories once sealed away by Naminé. In theory, he will lose his sanity. Seeing you back at that castle simply sped up the process." _Marluxia's eyes widened in much interest. If Sora lost his sanity then things would surely be… interesting, to say the least. Plus, it could lead to the boy lashing out on anything in sight, heartless included.

"_So, are you planning on completing this little charade?" _pondered the Graceful Assassin. "_After all, I do believe that Xemnas has brought up the subject more than once. Wouldn't it please the Superior_ _if you brought the burden upon yourself?"_

Vex shook his head, attaching some strange wires to Sora's chest. "_No, despite what Xemnas believes, bringing back those memories would be for the worst. Do recall that in both sets of memories Sora views Organization XIII as the enemy. Despite the fact that he would lash out upon the heartless, it is simply logical to consider the possibility that his hatred for our Organization would be amplified. So, would it not be foolish to bring back his memories in such little time?" _

"_I guess so…"_

Gleaming in fascination, the Chilly Academic prepared some more equipment to the fifteen year old. Wires aside, the scientist readied a near by computer, attaching some tubes to Sora as he went. Instantly, the monitor lit up in a bluish shade, a notice that the system was ready to dig deep into the vast depths of Sora's heart. From there, Vex took a long, tube like device and hooked it to the boy's cranium. If one were to be blunt, Sora was now connected to the computer's network, meaning that Vexen could easily access his very thoughts and feelings; no doubt this was the perfect way to 'adjust' the Keybearer.

Marluxia tilted his head slightly, staring at the massive machinery that Sora had been hooked up to. The wayward appearance of all this junk surely was a little extravagant, but with Vexen that was typical. After all, he was a dedicated scientist, despite having no heart.

"_So," _huffed number XI, tugging on the sleeves of his cloak, "_if you aren't going to tamper with those memories, what **are** you going to do with the boy? It doesn't seem that there's much else that could be done with his heart."_

Shaking his head, Vexen snapped, "_On the contrary, Marluxia, there is far more that I can accomplish. Remember, I am a scientist, one with a vast knowledge of the heart, to say the least. Believe me; I know exactly what I'm doing." _With that, Vex reached for some knobs and levers near his computer. A few options appeared up on the large monitor, though, for the most part, said choices were neglected. No, there was one option that the Academic desired, one that would dig deep into the bowels of Sora's heart. Eagerly, he selected that little choice, bringing up a new sub-menu.

Silently, the Academic dug through the selection, finding no interest in a majority of the choices. Among said options, things such as memories, emotions, and thoughts were listed. Simple tasks such as screening the contents of the heart to altering were listed. At the thought of toying with memories, Vexen simply shunned the mere concept. For all he knew, doing so could very well arouse those forbidden memories, and that would lead to mayhem. Emotions could come in handy, for sure, as it could very well affect Sora's very motives, while thoughts could simply strengthen the alteration. Yes, those two little choices seemed the most logical, though, to be safe, Vexen quickly chose to 'scan' the heart for any oddities.

The scan itself went by rather swiftly. Memories, feelings, and thoughts were all examined thoroughly. Anything brought up about the Oblivion memories were of no importance to the Chilly Academic, and thus, they were ignored. However, the strong fascination in Roxas was very intriguing, let alone the fact that his desire to meet Roxas nearly excelled to a higher extent than his interest in finding Riku and King Mickey. Feelings of confusion, utter need, hope, and despair. All of these feelings were perfectly fit for experimentation… each and every one.

Out of all those thoughts and feelings rushing through Sora's very heart, it was clear to Vexen that confusion, despair, and all of his negative feelings would prove most useful to the Organization. Simply amplifying certain parts of said emotions could mold him into a useful tool. His longing for answers would serve as an amplification to those feelings, if they were to be tweaked for the better. Yes, Vexen was satisfied with the results of this scan, as much as a nobody could be, of course, and now he was ready to begin his experiments. Soon, the Keybearer would be _perfect._

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Beast's Castle**_

Roxas was still a bit nervous from earlier. After all, it was a little shocking to be standing face to face with two people he had only known from his other's memories. How would he keep his identity secret? If he didn't watch his wording, the nobody could end up revealing certain facts that would be better off concealed. Still, as he stood in the dungeon, gazing at the eager looking poultry mage and his canine companion, the blondey knew that there was no way he'd be getting out of this any time soon. From the looks of things, he would just have to deal.

"So…heh… you want me to come with you because…?" muttered Roxas, shaking nervously. Then again, could you really blame him? It was still a little tough getting used to the fact that he was among two of Sora's allies… ones that could easily spill the beans on any accidental secrets that could be revealed. Thankfully, the duo didn't seem to mind his shakiness, though, and Donald prepared to give a simple answer.

A stern gleam in his eyes, the fowl enlightened the nobody, "We know all about you, Roxas… You know stuff about us, and it's really suspicious. How do we know you're not one of _them_?" Roxas edged back nervously, fearing that Donald was onto him. "Still," continued the poultry mage, "we could use some help, and Sora wants to meet you… so, you're coming with us! Okay?"

Abruptly, number XIII turned away from the two servants of King Mickey. He already knew that they wanted him to help them find Sora, but to actually MEET him?! That was pure insanity. Plus, Roxas still didn't like his counterpart. There was no way he'd tag along on that risk. "Uhm… I think I'll pass," he grumbled, edging his way towards the cell wall. He was about to generate a dark portal, when he was rudely interrupted.

"WAH! Oh no you don't!" Donald snapped, holding his staff towards the teenager. In just a few seconds, the oversized duck had changed from a slightly calm bag of feathers to his hot tempered self that was all too familiar. With a wave of his staff, he sent a strange, green beam right at the blonde. Upon making contact with his body, Roxas found himself unable to move. Snickering, the fowl explained, "Don't try anything with me, you big palooka. Goofy and I don't have time to play any games, unlike that nobody from before."

Giggling, Goofy added, "Gawrsh, Roxas, we're not that bad. No need to be afraid. Sora aint that bad either. A-hyuck!" As opposed to Donald, the defender wore a genuine expression that was a lot more welcoming. He clearly was trying to get Roxas to join in on the expedition without using harsh persuasion. The blonde did see that, and he contemplated over what to do. Traveling with Donald and Goofy would be difficult, due to his knowledge over everything Sora had experienced. On the other hand, if he _didn't_ tag along, the two might find him even more unusual and apprehensive.

Sighing, Roxas turned his head, the only part of his body he could move, towards the fowl and said with a somewhat agitated sound in his voice, "Fine, I'll go with you guys. You'll probably need me anyway. But… as for Sora, here's the deal. I'll stay with you until you find him, and then I'm out of here. There's things I have to do." Grumbling, Donald forced a nod before he removed the Stop spell that he had cast on Roxas' body. Even if the teen would have to be extra careful with his actions, he'd have to deal. Besides, it's not like things could be THAT bad. The easily angered featherbed and his companion were still heroes, even if they weren't Roxas' ideal traveling buddies.

Now that Roxas was stuck with him and Goofy, the little poultry mage waddled towards the dungeon exit, nearly discarding the existence of Belle and the other prisoners. Obviously, the exit was still sealed by lock and key, but having a Keybearer made solving this simple conflict a piece of cake. Wearing a blank expression, Roxas simply summoned his Keyblade in a whirl of light before aiming it directly at the simple keyhole. A burst of light was unleashed, unlocking the door in a matter of seconds. With all things taken care of, Donald, wearing a pleasurable expression, gave the door a gentle kick causing it to fling open. He then strut outside, awaiting Goofy and Roxas to follow. Indeed the duo did so with a brisk pace, but they were not alone. Since Larxene was no longer in the vicinity, Belle and her friends could also break free from the dungeon in hopes of getting back to their daily routine.

"Alright, Roxas," Donald announced in a professional manner, "the Gummi ship's just outside the castle, so just follow me and Goofy, got it?" Roxas simply mumbled a "Mhm" without even slight eye contact with the fowl. Disrespect was the only world the featherbag could use to describe the teen's behavior, but instead of breaking out in a temper tantrum, he simply continued his stroll with Goofy by his side. "We'll need to hurry," he added, "since Sora could be in danger."

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Vexen's Lab**_

Bright lights filled the room. A surge of white hot power shot straight through the wires connected to the Keyebearer's very being. On the wall, the Computer Screen flashed through several different menus, while Sora's body shook. All the while, Vexen sat in his seat, taking notes of the teenager's behavior, a twisted smirk plastered on his visage. From the looks of things, his experimentation was already altering the boy. A dark aura started to spread around his lower region. Why, even Marluxia was interested in the results of this little test for once, as he stood there, twirling a rose between his gloved fingers. More power started to surge, the aura increased in size. A sudden warning appeared on the monitor. Vexen didn't even notice, though, as he was too occupied in his note taking.

Unnerved by this sudden siren, Marluxia bellowed, "_Vexen, maybe we should pull back. I don't like the look of this. The computer is going out of control!" _This was very true. As the sound of the warning siren grew more and more audible, the colors of the monitor started going all out of wack while weird symbols coated any visible menus. Again, though, Vexen was too captivated by is little test subject to pay any attention to Marluxia or the sirens echoing within the lab.

More darkness began to coat Sora's form. His clothes changed from their normal state to a much darker black with all color replaced by shades of grey. His gloved hands gained razor sharp claws, while his elbows and knees were surrounded by tendrils of dark energy. Any signs of facial expression were replaced by blankness, and his eyes became yellow spheres with no sign of intelligence. The siren grew louder and louder, but Vexen didn't care. Instead, he broke out in maniacal laughter, his face shining with sheer insanity. The wires attached to Sora broke loose, the teenager suddenly became aware of his surroundings. Marluxia knew that this was too much. Vexen was a mad man. There was no doubt of that. For him to just stand there while his experiment went insane was more than enough proof.

"_VEXEN!" _shouted the Graceful Assassin, his scythe in hand, in case Sora decided to rebound. "_This is too much! Your experiment has gone horribly wrong. PULL BACK!" _Again, Marluxia was left ignored. It was too late to do anything, as the computer suddenly shut down. Now fully alert, Sora, now resembling a heartless, began to twitch, his gaze shifting from Vexen, to Marluxia, and back again. His muscles tensed, and it looked as if he were about to pounce. Whatever Vexen had in mind for the boy surely was horrid, wretched, and morally wrong.

"_Allow me to explain, Marluxia," _said Vexen with a strange tone in his hollow voice. "_What I did to Sora… well, it didn't work out as I had intended, but nevertheless, it is very fascinating. By tinkering with his emotions and thoughts, I have somehow triggered some form of darkness from within his heart. It's quite amazing, to say the least." _Vexen's face was coated in confidence and pride. Even when an experiment of his was a complete and utter failure, he found ways to make something amusing out of it. Little did he realize, in all his confidence, Sora had charged straight at him.

This sudden strike came to a surprise to the Chilly Academic, who found himself toppling over. He let out a screech, has claws dug deep into his cloak, ripping and tearing at his abdominal region. There was a rough rustling and shaking from Sora, who seemed to be searching for a heart, as if he were a heartless. Vexen's eyes gleamed with horror at the sight of the monstrosity he had unleashed. Sora's claws continued to dig for a hopeful treasure deep within the scientist's chest but with no real avail. Revolted by this, the corrupt teenager leapt backwards, his gaze shifting towards Marluxia, whose scythe was lowered in case Sora rebounded. At first, the Keybearer twitched, but that aside, he jumped forth, as a dark portal formed along the cold, hard floor. Its unearthly tendrils reached upwards, twirling in manic chaos.

Without any hearts to steal, the instinct driven Sora had no reason to stay at this Castle. After all, the only beings within were more nobodies, creatures without hearts. To someone who had been as corrupt as this teen, said manor was no place to be. So, with a portal opened, he slunk into the shadows, disappearing in a matter of moments. Shortly after, even the portal began to fade back into the abyss, tendrils and all. When there was no sign of this madness left, Vexen pushed himself back to his feet, painting in rapidly. For someone who had been so excited, or so it seemed, about a successful experiment, he sure had been easily swayed after being mauled by Sora in his shadowed state.

Somewhat annoyed, Marluxia groaned, "_I told you to pull back. Now you've gone and turned Sora into some… shadow of some kind. How on earth will that help the Organization? What purpose will it have in our cause for becoming whole? Riddle me THAT!" _His brow was furrowed, as he paced towards his fellow member, peering deep into his eyes. Vexen's response was a simple shrug with little intimidation. Then again, he wasn't the type who would succumb to the antics of one far younger than himself. He was the eldest member, after all.

"_I have to admit," _shrugged IV with a monotonous tone, his expression grim, "_the experiment was not as I had intended… Despite not being a true heartless, I have somehow tapped into his inner shadow, unleashing the monstrosity within. He's bound to cause some serious damage, in the least. Still, he's bound to destroy a few heartless on the way, giving us an advantage all the same." _Despite Vexen's attempt to explain things in a slightly positive manner, Marluxia still remained very unphased. To him, the old buffoon was all talk and no game, simply coming up with excuses for his flaws. Though, he would not say that aloud, due to compromise with the Organization.

The Graceful Assassin was filled to the brim with the closest a nobody could get to annoyance. His eyes beamed with pseudo frustration, and he wore a contorted grimace, plastered upon his visage. He was nearly fed up with Vexen's constant drabble, especially the way he made it sound to technical. True enough, he was a traitor for a reason. "_Look, you fool," _he suddenly snapped, "_Xemnas had given you specific orders, and you failed to carry the mere task to its fullest. Had you tinkered with his memories, maybe this wouldn't have happened! You. Are. An. IDIOT." _

Scoffing, number XI briskly spun away from his fellow, albeit stubborn, ally. There was no real reason for him to associate himself with such a nimrod, as it was. Xemnas and the others, well, they could deal with him later. So, without any more distractions, the flower loving nobody gave a snap of his fingers, his exit, namely a portal, forming in a split second. As he stepped into his little gateway, Vexen shook his head, looking apathetic. Marluxia just didn't understand the logic of science, nor did he care. To Vex, this was a shame, though to XI, it was a blessing. Either way, things wouldn't really change. It wasn't like IV could convince his ally otherwise.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Twilight_** **_Town_**

_CLANG! _Gunblade met claw, as Seifer, leader of the Disciplinary Committee found himself face to face with some strange, blackened creature. The overall form of this beast was identical to Sora, as in, he wore the same shorts, gloves, oversized shoes, and even had the same messed up hair. However, he was different as well, as he was dark, like a shadow, with tendrils forming around his limbs. The face of this fiend was unforgiving and savage, two yellow spheres glowing savagely, while claws made an attempt to rip out a freshly picked heart. It was very difficult for Seifer to ward off his attacker, due to the rapid pace of its movements, and its sudden knowledge of how to dodge each maneuver of his. It was almost as if he had fought this beast before!

The self centered teenager had to keep on moving in order to avoid the pouncing predator that stood before him. There were times when the beast would just lunge forward in an attempt to knock him down. Each time, the Anti Sora just narrowly missed, due to Seifer's quick reflexes. Anti Sora kept circling around his foe, giving Seifer little room to move. He made an attempt to hit the dark denizen with his gunblade, but, once again, his attacker made his escape, this time by dodge rolling and then disappearing from sight. For a brief moment, things remained calm. Raijin and Fujin, along with Vivi, who were watching this display from a safe distance, seemed quite interested in this little brawl. Right before things could be deemed safe, though, the Anti Sora jumped at Seifer from behind, knocking him to the ground.

Those amber orbs dug into Seifer's very soul, piercing any amount of bravery deep within. A cold, unwelcoming feeling shot up the teenager's spine, rendering him helpless at the hands of the dark embodiment's power. Sharp, knife-like claws reached towards his chest, ready to dig in and pull out the sacred treasure inside. Sadly enough, Sora was unable to resist these temptations, nor did he _want_ to. The darkness was in control, and it was relentless. If nothing were to be done, Seifer would lose his heart to this monster! It was only a matter of time before things went out of hand.

A few yards away stood a cloaked figure. His build was tall and lanky, yet there was a bit of muscle. Axel wasn't a TOTAL weakling after all. Yes, number VIII had once again turned up in the middle of the town between light and darkness, not that it was a real surprise. This place was Roxas' home, and he knew that his best friend was bound to turn up at some point. At the moment, however, he was more interested in Sora's sudden behavior. Seeing him rendered so helpless to the darkness was strange, yet, to the Flurry of the Dancing Flames, it was oddly entertaining.

"Heheh…" he snickered to himself, flicking a small flame between his fingers, "I could watch this all day!" It was rather clear that, even in the most dire situations, Axel could have a good time. How typical of his nature. His eyes were attached to the shadowy form of Sora, as he reached towards Seifer's chest, ripping at his shirt. Still, there was no resistance from the jerk, due to him being dazed by the emotionless eyes of his shadowy attacker. Raijin and Fujin were already staring, wide eyed at this sight, not knowing what to do. Striking back would save their leader, but, at the same time, it would put them in danger too. This whole trauma was like one of those reality shows to the red haired pyromaniac.

The heart was almost secure. Anti Sora was digging deeper and deeper with his claws, searching for the hidden prize, and, so far, he was indeed succeeding. Poor Seifer was helpless, and with his flunkies too frightened to do a thing, it seemed as if there was no hope for the reckless leader. Chills continued to run down his spine, while the strange breathing blew across his neck. In theory, Seifer would become a heartless due to this little attack, or so it seemed. Despite the fun of this display, Axel DID know when enough was enough. Shaking his hooded head, he reached out his arms, as a flurry of flames surrounded his very hands. The shape of two spiked disks began to materialize in his grasp, namely, his chakrams. As opposed to merely enjoying a teenager getting his heart taken away, VIII would stop this act altogether. He didn't really have anything to lose, anyway, being a nobody.

_WHOOSH! _A whirring sound filled the air, as one of Axel's weapons blazed on forward, heading right towards Sora's back. Of course, with all his concentration focused on stealing Seifer's heart, the corrupt teen failed to notice this, and thus, was greeted by a rather nasty, not to mention painful, surprise. _CHING! _The spikes of the chakrams made contact with Sora's spine, causing the darkness absorbed Keybearer to give out a shriek of pain before about-facing, only to find Axel, both of his weapons in hand, wearing a broad grin. Of course, being in his present state, Sora could only strike back, and so he darted towards the mischievous nobody, hoping to get his clutches on a heart.

Right before Sora could make contact with Axel, the cloaked pyromaniac warped away. Due to this, the corrupt Anti Sora managed to ram his head right into the bricked wall, leaving him open for a counter attack. Axel was quick to give another toss of both of his chakrams, each one hitting Sora on the rump, all before the hot head sent a wave of heat in his direction. Upon the contact of the chakrams, however, Anti about-faced, only to see the flames flowing rapidly towards his face. Using whatever intelligence he had, though, the dark denizen somehow used a reflect spell, creating a translucent barrier, which caused the blazes to ricochet back towards their user. One could suppose Sora simply had his abilities to use magic, despite this odd form. Despite how the inferno had been sent back towards its sender, Axel was unphased. He simply warped again, making the Anti Sora suffer even more bafflement.

Curious as he could get, the darkness controlled Keybearer started to dart around in circles, eyes open for his attacker. If Axel were to show up, Sora would strike, hoping to obtain a heart that did not exist. Still, compared to a heartless, he actually was far more cunning, despite his instincts. That little reflect spell display proved it. All the same, he wasn't smart enough to catch the blast of heat coming from above. A sudden whir of white-hot combustion met with Sora's spine, causing immense throbbing, not to mention some pretty nasty burns. The pressure itself had pinned him to the ground, and he was helpless prey to the blazes.

"Heh, too slow, kid," mocked Axel, reappearing right before his potential foe. As usual, he had that broad, beaming expression, eyes gleaming with mischief. "You've really lost your touch since we met in that big bad castle that Sparks and Flower Boy ran." Little did VIII know, his words were causing Sora to wig out once more. Even with the flames singing his spine, he was able to push himself up to his feet…and hands, looking ready to dart off at the next opportunity. Nevertheless, Axel continued, "Anyway, I guess after taking a year long nap, you'd lose your touch, but—"

Sora was out of sight, not a single trace of him was left, aside from the dent in the brick wall from his little crash from just moments ago. There were a few bits of ashes across the ground as well, but all that aside, it seemed almost as if Anti had never even made his little attack in the sandlot. Over on the platform, Seifer slowly got back to his feet, coughing slightly from being slashed in the gut, but at least he wasn't bleeding. Both Raijin and Fujin stood by his side, wearing rather freaked out expressions, while Vivi just hid in a corner. All the same, Axel himself was rather frustrated that Sora had vanished just like that, mostly because he had been hoping for more "fun".

Little did he realize, the Keybearer had not gone far. In fact, he had just jolted up towards the back alley; where few would find him, except, well, Hayner, Pence, and Olette. In all the chaos, though, being spotted by some kids was the least of his worry, if he even COULD worry in his present state. So, there he stood…er, sat, shaking slightly as the blazes that had been scorching his back finally simmered down. The darkness surrounding him began to die down, and his normal features were becoming visible once more. Replacing the shadowed tuft was his natural, chocolate colored mane of messed up locks. His skin reverted from pitch black to it's semi tanned tone, while his hands lost their claws. However, the only thing that _didn't_ seem to change was his eyes. The whites became visible, but instead of his irises being an ocean blue color, they remained amber in tone. Something wasn't right at all.

"That…that must have been," he muttered to himself, a strange tone in his voice, "a nobody… But, he was…in my way… a…**_an enemy… I should keep that in mind…_**" All at once, Sora's somber expression shifted to a misshapen smirk. He dug his fists into the ground, his breathing heavy. "**_He mentioned a big white castle._** **_He must know what's wrong with me. Yes…but it will have to wait, at least until I can go into Anti Form again. I should pay Hayner and his friends a little visit, anyway. I'm…hungry." _**From the looks of things, Sora was still _very_ corrupt, despite being in his normal state. Even though, back at the Castle that Never Was, it seemed as though the experiment had indeed failed, it appeared as if, in reality, it was close to success. Yes, as of now, Sora had been altered, motives and all, though how long this would last was a mystery. All the same, this was far from good.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**The Gummi Ship**_

Ever since Roxas, Donald, and Goofy had left Beast's Castle, things had been rather slow. Not only were there few worlds in sight, but there had been little conversation since the trio had boarded the vehicle. Donald, of course, had taken the wheel, and he was far too fixed on locating Sora to bother saying anything to those in his company. That and he still didn't have much trust for Roxas. Goofy, on the other hand, had tried to say a few words to the blonde, though he had little avail. Most of the responses were "Hmm's" and "Sure…" among other one word responses. To put it bluntly, there just wasn't much interaction.

During all this tranquility, Roxas' mind was suddenly swept elsewhere. As opposed to seeing the inside of a ship, the image of the alley in Twilight Town flashed before his eyes. There, he saw Sora walking with his back arched, his Keyblade clutched tightly in his grasp, but…there was something awkward about him. It wasn't just that his body was at a strange slouch, but, around his hands was a strange aura of darkness. His face wore a maniacal grin, and his very presence seemed, simply put, awkward. Whatever the Organization had done to him, it sure wasn't pretty. After a few seconds, his mind reverted to its normal place, back in the Gummi, where Donald had been steering. He shook off his daze and quickly glanced towards the radar. This wasn't good… Twilight Town was near by. They may not have known it, but they were nearing Sora!

Something would have to be done! Even though Roxas had agreed to go with Donald and Goofy, this was insane! On the other hand, by doing something, things would be more suspicious. What if they discovered that he was a nobody? An ex member of Organization XIII, at that. If word slipped, the duo would likely assume he was the enemy! It was then that an idea hit him. As he sat, panicking to himself, Roxas realized that Sora HAD been captured by the Organization. That would mean that he had been at their castle for at least _some_ period of time. If he could just create a portal around the Gummi, leading them into the middle of the Castle that Never Was, at least it would buy them some time.

This in mind, the teenager closed his eyes, lifting his fist into the air. Little did he realize, Goofy had caught sight of this, leading to a bunch of curiosity. Of course, he didn't really know what to say, since it looked as if the blondey were simply stretching in a very awkward way, but, in reality, he was causing a portal to appear around the very Gummi. Its size, compared to the normal portals, was very immense, wrapping itself around the whole vehicle. As it did so, the radar began going insane, and Donald himself began squawking in annoyance, while Goofy just wore a worried expression. All the same, they were totally oblivious, that the Gummi was hurtling through the halls of the Castle…just before making a _CRASH!_

End of Chapter

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**AN: **Ok, let me clarify that Sora is not insane and/or evil as much as he is corrupt. You'll see more of this in future chapters. Yes, he will be like this for AT LEAST five or so chapters. Consider it the first big chain of events in the fanfic. As for Beast's Castle…we'll see more of it later on, as I left things open there. Also, look forward to seeing the worlds Halloween Town, Pride Lands, and Agarabah in the near future, possibly in this chain of events.

Please remember to leave a review! I'm tired of look and leavers! ;-;


	15. Corruption

Well, here's another update for you guys! This chapter is, more or less, and in between chappy to fill in some little spaces for a nice transition. Also, I put a little bit of Org interaction at the end.

**Chapter 12: Corruption**

Sora sniggered as he made his way towards the Usual Spot. His eyes still beamed with a yellow gleam, and he still kept his cynical simper. Strangely enough, his hair had darkened in shade just slightly, going from a chestnut color to a dark, almost blackish brown. His Keyblade was grasped tightly in his clutches, for no apparent reason, and, in general, there was just something peculiar about him. Then again, Vexen had corrupted him, so this was a give in. Anyway, he by now, he stood just outside the Usual Spot, listening to the quiet conversation. He could easily make out the voices of Hayner, who was ranting, as usual, while Olette and Pence remained seemingly silent.

It seemed that there was no problem with a simple intrusion. The trio within the Usual Spot was already friends of Sora as it was. Surely, they would welcome him with open arms, correct? This all made sense to the corrupt Keybearer, who, hiding his weapon made his way inside. His cold, monotone footsteps caught the attention of the trio, who turned from whatever activity they were engaged in to see the Keybearer. Judging by the look of Hayner, who seemed to have something wrapped around his waist, at least from the slight distortion beneath his shirt, he had been injured in some way recently. Pence and Olette, on the other hand, looked unchanged from the last time Sora had been in town.

His angered grimace shifting to a simple grin, Hayner exclaimed, "Hey, man! Didn't expect to see you here so soon." Being oddly friendly, the hot tempered teen ambled towards his rather new friend, looking at him strangely. "You look…different. I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something about you that's weird. Did you get contacts or something?" He stopped for a moment to snigger at the mere thought. Meanwhile, Olette simply shook her head at Hayner's antics. If there was one thing about Hayner that got on her nerves, it was his cocky attitude. Some things never changed.

Pence too was glad to see a familiar face, though he just ignored his friends' reactions for his own sake. Instead, he simply said in a rather casual tone, "Oh, hey, what's up? I didn't expect to see you around here so soon. Where're Donald and Goofy?" It didn't take long for the somewhat pudgy teenager to realize that Sora's two traveling companions were absent. That, to him, stuck out far more than his amber colored eyes and darkening tuft of spikes. Surely there had to be an explanation.

Sora narrowed his eyes. Already the three were catching onto his little weirdness. He'd have to think up an excuse in order to remain safe from any more suspicion. Blabbing something as quick as possible, the Keybearer lied, "**_Donald and Goofy said that I needed some time to visit some friends. I guess they think all this adventuring is getting to my head. Heh, they need to stop being so paranoid." _**This lie, despite the simplicity, seemed to prove decent enough. After all, not one of the trio of Twilight Town questioned him. In fact, if anything, they easily seemed to buy this excuse.

"Well, it doesn't matter," Olette chirped in a sweet tone, "it's great to see you again. Sorry if Hayner starts going on about Seifer, though… he's so immature." Immediately, Hayner gave his companion a sneer, growling in annoyance. Whenever Olette went on about his little temper problems, it got on his bad side, to say the least. Her response to the cocky teen, however, was nothing short of a stern glare, which had "Shut. Up. Now." written all over her face. This whole time, Sora stood, back arched, awaiting the moment when he could return to Anti Form, while Pence just shook his head at this little display. Nothing was _too_ peculiar. This little squabble would cease soon enough.

In actuality, the argument abruptly halted when Hayner finally shouted "Look! We can deal with this some other time. Sora's probably tired of just standing there, anyway. …Right?" A simple nod was the response in which the Keybearer gave to senior shouts a lot. After enduring hordes of heartless, meeting up with the Organization, and being torched in the back, there wasn't a lot that was tough for Sora to handle. However, Hayner's temper was another story. So, knowing that the fifteen year old had grown bored of this, the leader of the Usual Spot threesome bellowed, "Maybe we should take Sora into town… At least it'd give him something to do. I can own Seifer later, anyway."

There he went, starting about Seifer again, though, at least he had thought up a fairly decent idea. Going into town would be a relaxing way to spend time, and, at least for Sora, there would be plenty of opportunities to get a decent "meal." Twilight Town was rather populated as it was, meaning several hearts. This thought brought a smile to the corrupt hero's face. All he needed to do was hang out with these three for a brief amount of time, and then he would be ready to strike. It was a foolproof plan, or at least, it seemed to be so. So, with that settled, he whispered, a scratchy tone in his voice, "**_I think a trip around town would be pretty neat. I haven't gotten to see much of this world… Let's go!"_**

"Alright then," replied Pence with a smile of sorts, clasping both of her hands together. "We'll give you the grand tour!" That was all that needed to be said for the moment, as the trio, along with Sora, headed out the door, into the back alley. The sun gleamed up from above, while the warm breeze blew through the air. Station Heights would be the closest part of Town from Here, as it was just uphill. Therefore, the group began a leisurely stroll in that direction. Little did Hayner and the gang realize, this was all a rouse. Their very hearts were in danger, and their insolence was preventing them from seeing the truth in this matter.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**The Castle That Never Was**_

_CRAAAAASH! _The dark portal Roxas had used had indeed worked to its fullest. The whole entire Gummi had indeed been warped to the World that Never Was. What was once the sheer tranquility of a peaceful fortress was now filled with hubbub as the vehicle collided within Vexen's lab. Bottles of chemicals were flung against the walls, breaking upon impact. The very table within was knocked to the ground. Even the Chilly Academic himself was blown backwards. Yes, things had worked well, spare the fact that now the Organization was well aware of the presence of their enemies, along with the traitor.

A cloud of dust filled the inside of the ship. Rubble coated the cockpit window, and it was very difficult to see. Coughing and wheezing, the fowl magician known only as Donald pushed himself to his feet, observing the mess within. Several items had been sent to the floor. The radar was bleeping out of control, and the warning signal was going off once again. Brow furrowed, the poultry mage stomped back a bit further, searching for his fellow passengers. With luck, he managed to find both Goofy and Roxas, who, at the moment, were piled atop each other, eyes rolling with dizziness. A nice coat of dust accompanied their normal attire. Donald's first reaction was rather simple, really. Taking his staff, he gave both of his traveling buddies a nice _WHACK on the head._

"Get up!" he snapped, frustration overtaking his body. His feathers were red with rage, while steam blew out of his beak. His expression was nothing short of a sneer, and obviously he wasn't in the best mood. "We need to investigate where we've landed!" he added in an incensed tone, ready to bang his weapon once again. Luckily, the whole notion was unnecessary, as both Roxas and Goofy got back to their feet, rubbing their heads uncomfortably. For such a small little featherbed, one had to admit that when he got in one of his bad moods, his wrath stung HARD. Surely the bruises would remain for quite some time.

"Gawrsh…" Goofy whimpered, adjusting his hat, which had been tossed askew after this little collision course. "Where do ya think we landed?" It did indeed seem that neither he nor his feathered companion knew of their current location. The mystified looks on their visages accompanied by all this hustle and haste proved this so. Then again, this had to be the third time their Gummi had crashed during all of this adventuring. Either way, Roxas simply stood still, peering out the debris covered window, while Sora's flunkies conversed.

Donald stroked his chin as he pondered over Goofy's notion. The radar had indeed gone insane. Several items were visible now, each moving about whatever location this was. From the looks of things, the strange blinking items were alive, as they kept moving in unpredictable patterns. As for location, the screen had a big "???" on it, as if this world was completely uncharted and unknown. Though, this made sense, as the nobody realm was between the realms of light and darkness. Finally, the fowl uttered, "It looks like we're in some unknown place…but how? And why?"

"Because," intruded Roxas, who was wearing a somber look, "this is the World that Never Was. It's the realm between all existences…the base of Organization XIII." At this little explanation, both the defender and the royal magician's gazes lit up. Shock and surprise were written all over them, as this was the place they had _least _expected to end up at, at least for a while. All the same, it did make sense for the radar to look all messed up if this world was between all of reality itself. Roxas just shook his head and sighed. "You do realize that just standing here is going to make us fair game for the Organization. We'd better get moving and…find Sora."

"Fine," replied the feathery being in a coarse manner, "you're probably right. Still, you seem to know an awful lot about this Organization. It's suspicious, but, you probably more than even me. So, c'mon and get goin'!" By now, it could be assumed that the oversized dinner had finally accepted Roxas, despite the fact that he had, though unknown as of yet, warped them far from Sora's location. He gave a huff before turning away from Goofy and the blondey. All he wanted was to rescue Sora before anything nasty happened. Shrugging, Goofy abruptly followed behind, carrying his shield and, for once, looking actually close to intelligent. This left Roxas, who reluctantly picked up the pace. Deep down, he knew that he had done the wrong thing, but he just couldn't risk anything for his own sake. It's not like they'd find out, anyway.

So, now that everything necessary had been said, the temperamental aquatic bird and master of magic stumbled towards the Gummi door. Due to its current position, there had been some junk tossed about, but at least the vehicle hadn't exploded, unlike the last time there was an accident. Once he was clear from any pieces of worthless stuff, he simply kicked open the entrance with his large, webbed foot. Upon seeing the sight before him, though, his face lit up in utter surprise, and maybe a bit of fear. Before him stood Vexen, IV of Organization XIII, arms crossed and an agitated gleam upon his mug. Upon reaching his compadré, Goofy also buzzed out. Vexen was clearly the closest to irritated that a nobody could get. Eyes narrow, he started to step forth to 'greet' the intruders. By the time Roxas had stumbled out the door, the Academic's discontent had reached its peak.

"_Well, well," _spat IV sharply, "_it seems that the King's fools…and the little traitor have arrived to rescue poor, miserable Sora." _Both of the King's lackeys drew their weapons, as Vexen came closer. They knew a fight was inevitable by now. Roxas, on the other hand, remained still, trying not to arouse any more distrust for the time being. It was bad enough that Vex had called him a traitor! "_You, sadly, are too late to help," _Vexen snarled. "_The boy has already endured the experiments, and now…he's likely out causing chaos while assisting the Organization. I do suppose that my little mishap does have its rewards."_

That was enough to light the fowl's fuse. In a surge of rage, Donald blasted at the top of his lungs, "WHAT?! You mean to tell me that you…he…GAH! That's IT!" There was no sense in holding back the duck now. He had kept in a majority of his rage buried inside for far too long. Now was his chance to unleash his potential, and Vexen just happened to be his target. Yes, in all this frustration, he lifted up his wand and shouted, at the top of his breath, "Thunder….thunder….WAA! TAKE THIS!" A sudden stream of sparks was unleashed from the tip of the mage's staff. The voltage itself was steaming hot and ready to give IV a nice, relentless shock. And so the bolt shot directly at the Chilly Academic, sending him flying towards his monitor. Even more surges were triggered from the computer itself. All Goofy and Roxas could do is stare in awe at the sudden chain of outbursts. Even Vexen himself hadn't expected this in the least.

As soon as the voltage wore off, IV slid down from the monitor, his cloak coated in ashes at that. All the same, he wasn't _too_ phased by Donald's literally shocking maneuver. His element was ice, meaning that the weakness would be flame and not thunder. Nevertheless, it was apparent that the threesome wished to resolve things through violence. So, in a flat resonance, he announced, "_Well, it appears that you fools seek a violent solution. As a member of Organization, I simply cannot be lenient on this situation as it is…so it could be assumed that I accept your humble challenge." _He lifted up his arm, a blue glow surrounding his very hand. In a matter of seconds, his large, blue shield began to materialize.

Without any hesitation, both Donald and Goofy rushed towards their foe. Their weapons were ready to strike, and determination was gleaming from their appearance. Roxas also prepared his Keyblade, though he took a more subtle approach by idly waiting for IV to strike. Right before the defender and the magician could reach Vexen, the Academic gave a snap, creating a puddle of ice in their path before warping away. Failing to expect this, the two slid forward and into the wall. At least there wasn't electricity lining everything this time, however. Roxas, as he did when fighting Larxene, kept watch for any slight movement, so he could strike Vexen down. This was a more strategic approach that would surely prove more useful. Barging in would simply lead to more crashes, anyway.

Whoosh, Vexen reappeared right on schedule, ready to pull another fast one. However, Roxas wasn't as easily tricked as his fellow fighters, and therefore, he took this moment and put it to use. Just as he had done with Larxene, he dove forward, jamming his Keyblade in Vexen's gut. This caused IV to jolt back at his monitor, and get hit by another steam of shocks. Voltage coursed through his very being, as if he were a piece of a circuit, temporarily stunning him and leaving him open for more attacks. This is where Donald and Goofy came in. First, the poultry mage jumped forward and sent a nice stream of fire towards the already ash coated cloak. The burning embers met with the volts and more than doubled the pain, as fire proved to be IV's weakness. Adding onto the pain was nothing short of Goofy's shield, which had been tossed like a Frisbee, ricocheting off the lab walls all before making contact with Vexen's face.

Once the flames dimmed, and Vexen slid back to the floor again, it was apparent that he had taken quite the beating. His face was coated in even _more_ ashes then before, not to mention bruises from the shield, and his cloak was tattered in some places. Arrogantly, he lifted his own shield up and began to hover ever so slightly above the ground. Of course, the trio of heroes didn't hesitate to make another attack. Goofy again shot his weapon upward, but it was countered by the large blue shield. Vexen's response afterwards was a snap of the fingers, as suddenly icicles started to fall from the ceiling. Rapidly, the defender ran, making circles across the room, as did his comrades, though Roxas was trying to keep his eyes peeled for an attack opportunity, while Donald kept on recklessly shooting fire balls, which bounced off of the shield of the Chilly Academic.

When the icicles vanished, XIII headed back towards Vexen, his key-shaped weapon held forward. He managed to come incredibly close to the scientist before he was caught in a trap of sorts. You see, by the time Roxas had come a decent distance to his foe, said nobody sent a cold spell through his body, trapping him in a solid block of ice. Roxas had been hindered in a matter of moments. This didn't settle with Donald and Goofy, who then tried to fight back, only to find that IV had warped himself before they could make any contact with his being, or lack thereof. Irritated by the constant warping, a certain fowl quickly pondered over his options before waddling out of the way to avoid any sudden maneuvers. Upon his reappearance, Vexen repeated his tactic with the icicles falling from the ceiling, leaving the two remaining fighters with no choice but to run around in circles, while the Chilly Academic laughed with a high pitched squeal. A few hits were actually made on the two lackeys of the King, while Vexen relatively went unharmed.

Within a few minutes the ice surrounding Roxas' being cracked open, leaving XIII cold and damp. Shivering, he picked up his Keyblade and headed over to assist Donald and Goofy only to find that the duo had become extremely exhausted. Not only had they ended up dodging several icicles, but Vexen had also caused them to slip a few times on some icy puddles. Beads of sweat coursed down their visages, and it was apparent that they had been weakened. Despite his wayward and frail appearance, IV had proved himself a very tricky foe. Even then, though, Roxas _wasn't_ tuckered out, and so he darted at the warping fiend, an orange glow surrounding his weapon. Startled, Vex, who had just reappeared after warping, prepared to transport himself away, but he was too late. Flinging out from the tip of the Keyblade was an orb of fire, ready to scorch an ice loving nobody.

The immense heat of this orb of embers was incredible, and it sent several surges of pain through IV's body. He could only wince in agony as he was devoured by the heat. Whatever the cause, Roxas had indeed used magic. The sheer fact that he did it without even the smallest consent was the unusual part. Not that it really mattered, as the flames, either way, caused maximum pain for the scientist, who, at this point, was on his knees, cringing in maximum pain. His whole face was contorted, and it was plainly obvious that he had enough. "_Al…right…" _he whimpered, coughing out dark smoke, "_I think you've all proven your point. Let this madness cease!" _

Reluctantly, Roxas vanished the Keyblade with little to no effort. Despite the fact that it would prove more intelligent to simply eliminate IV, there really was no need. For the time being, he would let Vexen off. As for Donald and Goofy, the duo was currently recuperating from the little rumble, panting heavily at that. Both of them had put their weapons away for the time being. During this whole charade, not one bit of information involving Sora had been revealed. In truth, this whole thing had been somewhat useless. Heck, all it really had been good for was a workout…a rather hectic one at that.

Pulling himself back to his feet, Vexen explained in a somber tone, "_You three do realize that Sora is far from this castle, correct? If anything, he could be anywhere from Hollow Bastion to Land_ _of Dragons!" _Both Donald and Goofy, overwhelmed by surprise, gave a "WHAT?!" look to the academic, who simply shrugged it off. He really couldn't care less about Sora's location, as he lacked any real ability to do so, as opposed to the King's minions of sorts.

"Gawrsh," Goofy sighed, stroking his nose with a gloved finger, "I guess that means we came all this way for nothin', huh? Guess we'd better get outta here…" This news wasn't thrilling in the least, and it only proved bothersome to the defender and his feathery partner. They had just taken on a nobody, for crying out loud, and not one bit of useful information had been given! Donald also was rather annoyed by this notion, especially with his short temper. Of all things troublesome, this had to take the cake…at least for the day.

Angrily, Donald picked up his staff and headed towards the Gummi. He had enough of this little rendezvous, and by now he just wanted to get to Sora and get back to business! Frustration overtaking him, he spat, "Great, that's just great! We came all this way for nothing! Gah! Sora could be…anywhere, and we're not helping a bit!" Growling, he stomped his large, webbed foot, all while turning towards the Gummi. It seemed that Donald had been ticked off several times in such a short period, now included. All the while, Roxas simply frowned upon the situation. To be simple, he felt as if he had been incredibly evil by warping Donald and Goofy all the way to the castle.

He brushed his hand against his blonde tuft of spikes before stepping towards the angered fowl. Despite the fact that seeing Sora was the _least_ of his priorities, he knew that hiding would only add to his suspicion. Sighing, he said in a bland tone, "Donald, I know where Sora is…" At those words, the poultry mage cocked his head towards XIII in much interest. From there Roxas continued, "He's…he's in Twilight Town. I know how to get you there too…but you'll have to trust me…"

"If you can get us to Sora and fast that's good enough for me!" retorted the featherbed eagerly. "I don't care _how_ you do it at this point. Just make it quick, ok?" Arms crossed, Donald gave a rather impatient look. Goofy as well seemed as if he had wanted to leave as soon as possible, as he was making his way back towards the Gummi Ship. Staying in the castle would only make them more likely to be caught by the Organization, anyway, especially with Vexen hearing every little word they said. Leaving was the best option.

There wasn't any reason for Roxas to hold back now, since the King's followers appeared ready to hit the road, so to speak. All he would really need to do now would be to warp the Gummi Ship and D & G…not to mention himself. If he could pull it off once, what was keeping him from doing it again? This in mind, he lifted up his hand, as the ground around him and the others became engulfed by an aura of blackish purple darkness. As it grew larger, everything within its span began to sink into the shadows. Surprise overtook the defender and the magician at this sight. They would be sure to question XIII when they had the chance…not only because of this, but also due to the fact that Vexen had deemed him traitor. Questions aside, though, it didn't take long for the trio and the Gummi to vanish from sight.

Vexen simply sniggered to himself. "_Twilight_ _Town," _he pondered in a nearly inaudible tone, "_how intriguing. I shall have to look into Sora and his progress. Perhaps not all is lost." _Turning to the damaged monitor of his computer, he swiftly pressed a few little keys, as the screen lit up, although a tad crackly. It was time to check up on the corrupt Keybearer.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Twilight_** **_Town_**

Sora's laughter could be heard from all around. He truly had lost it. All around him, citizens of Twilight Town fled in fear. Mothers held their children tight, while shop keepers closed down their stores. Surrounding him were many a heartless, each one craving the same exact thing as he, namely, fresh hearts. Already the Keybearer had extracted some captured hearts from the dark pests, while freeing others. Instead of being a hero with a strong heart, he had become a vicious maniac. Why oh why had Hayner and his friends trusted him? Why had they led him into the more social areas of Twilight Town?

"**_You see," _**cackled the now Anti Sora, diving forward at a shadow heartless, "**_you shouldn't have trusted me… Now I've got everything I need. You really are quite foolish, especially you…Hayner…" _**Twitching, he leapt away from the now vanishing shadow and scampered towards the camo-clad teenager, digging deep into his consciousness with those pools of amber. "**_Now, I am going to take your heart, and I am going to enjoy every moment of your screaming. Thank you, Hayner. Heheheh…"_**

Nervously, Hayner backed off, though he remained in front of his two friends, Pence and Olette. The expression planted on his mug was a mixture of fear and determination. Angrily, he spat, "I can't believe you! You're not Sora! You're just some freak that looks like him! Heck, you're worse than Seifer! What's wrong with you, man?!" Sora simply sniggered in response. Had his facial features been visible, a widespread grin would have been plain to see. Slowly, he made his way closer to Hayner, his arms reaching out for his chest. All the hot tempered teen could do was slowly back off, as he had no weapon at his disposal.

"**_Face it," _**bellowed the Keybearer insanely, "**_you cannot run, and you cannot hide. You haven't a weapon. You and your friends are hopeless. So is this whole town. Do you not see these heartless before you? The only one who can stop them is me, and I'm hungry…for hearts." _**His arm inched closer to Hayner's gut, his claws ready to reach in and grab the prize inside. The stench of fear filled every inch of the defenseless teen's being. He was about to take the heart too. Everything seemed flawless. However, one did have to account for a certain pyromaniac with a pair of relatively dangerous chakrams.

_Chink! _Sora's arm was met by the sharp edge of a certain throwing disk, causing the corrupt hero to leap back, squealing in pain and annoyance. In doing so, however, he had given Hayner and company the perfect opportunity to make their escape, and so they did. Yes, it was quite fortunate that Axel had arrived on the scene once again, despite the little fact that he didn't quite enjoy playing hero. All the same, Axel stood in the middle of the Station Heights, his weapons in hand, staring straight at Sora and the small heartless which scampered through the streets, chasing after the fleeing citizens. All the Keybearer could do was sneer viciously at this sight.

"Well, what do we have here?" mused VIII in a rather sinister manner. "Have you been a good little boy?" At this, Sora snarled, diving forward. How unorthodox of him. Not that this was a problem for Axel, of course. After all, he was a nobody, meaning that he didn't need to play by the rules. Instead of standing there helplessly, he warped behind the spiky haired bundle of corruption all before giving him a swift kick in the back. This caused Sora to fly forward, landing right on top of a nearby soldier heartless. Snickering, Axel added, "By the way, you might want to _lighten_ up a bit. Got it memorized?"

Grumbling, Anti Sora pushed the heartless out of his way. At the present moment, he had no time to deal with dark cretins like that. Besides, he could destroy that pest before it even got a hand on his heart, so why bother? Axel was the main target for now, and so he leapt forth once again, this time with his Keyblade, ready to strike. Yawning, Axel apathetically stuck out a single leg in an attempt to trip the rushing teenager, and it actually ended up working pretty well. Instead of actually causing VIII damage, Sora ended up landing face down on the ground, while a certain fire loving nobody continued his taunting.

"Oh come on," he teased, crossing his long, skinny arms, "this is easier than breathing. Give me something with a little more pizzazz. You know what I'm saying?" The teasing itself didn't really brighten Sora's sprits as much as it gave him more motivation to lunge head first at the pyromaniac. Once again, this didn't really phase Axel, who simply stepped out of the way, causing Sora to collide with yet another wall. In reality, the Keybearer was proving to be the complete _opposite _of a challenge, at least, in Axel's standards.

"**_Quit wasting my time!" _**snapped Anti Sora viciously, getting back up to his feet. His blank face looked as angry as physically possible. "**_You're with the Organization, so you have nothing to offer me! What purpose do you have in saving innocents? Are you not the enemy?" _**Slowly but surely, Anti Sora picked up his pace, clutching his weapon tightly. He was seemingly angered by Axel's playful nature, not to mention the fact that he was being taken down with little effort. This whole fight was a disgrace to the darkness consumed fifteen year old.

Sniggering, Axel simply retorted, "Look, kid, I don't play by the rules. Organization XIII…well, it just wasn't my style. Got it memorized?" He quickly made a gesture, pointing his index finger at his head in a matter-of-fact manner. "Besides, you're better off playing hero than pretending to be evil. Leave that to the experts, kiddo." Only more aggravation was caused by Axel's taunting. By now, he was driving Sora insane. A thought of another attempt at mauling came over the corrupted Keybearer, though that wasn't exactly a smooth move. The spiky haired backstabber didn't even have a heart, so why waste any _more_ time on him?

As Axel stood there, expecting another futile attack, he was surprised to see Anti Sora turning around and charging towards whatever heartless had remained in the area. Mind you, there weren't all that many, seeing as the instinctive beasts only stayed where there were hearts worth taking. As he charged on, he stuck his claws into a few shadows, impaled several soldiers with his Keyblade, and laid waste to mere Dark Balls. This whole Time Axel did not fight back. There was no real need. Besides, he wasn't going to go soft or anything. That just wasn't in his nature. Heck, the only reason why he was being heroic in the first place was because he had pity.

As opposed to chasing after the messed teenager, Axel decided to do something else. It was high time for him to get back to tediously waiting for Roxas to show up. Sure enough, his best friend had been taking his sweet time with showing up, and that was getting on the flame head's nerves, to say the least. All the same, he _would_ find Roxas, and he _would_ help him. Heaving a sigh, he simply paced back towards the wall in which he had been sitting for the past few hours, completely ignoring whatever heartless were left, which, mind you, were few. It was only when he had gotten comfortable that he heard a loud _CRASH_ in the distance, along with a few yelps. One of which sounded _awfully_ familiar.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**The Castle That Never Was**_

"_Now, this is rather intriguing, my Superior_…"

In the halls of the Castle that Never was stood Vexen, Lexaeus, and none other than Xemnas himself. The three had been, for the past few minutes, discussing the current state of the Keybearer. This brought up much interest between numbers V and I, who were very surprised, or to the extent a nobody could be, at the sudden change in Sora. Plus, Vexen had indeed proved to be a success in his experimentation, which was an added bonus. Yes, all seemed well as far as Sora's current state was. He would be bringing out much chaos, no doubt about that.

Crossing his arms, Lexaeus bellowed, "_It is rather fascinating, I admit. You truly have outdone yourself this time, Vexen. But, what bothers me is this: what if Sora goes out of hand? Couldn't this prove to be rather problematic?" _Cackling, IV shook his head in defiance and pure pride. Obviously, he didn't agree with Lex's logic, being somewhat stuck up.

"_Now, Lexaeus," _explained the Chilly Academic somberly, "_Sora will be unable to go any farther than needed. Despite his intelligence, he still craves hearts, which will lead him to the heartless. From there, he will destroy the heartless, and, well…you know the rest." _Tossing his bangs aside, he added, "_This is where Maleficent and Pete could prove useful. As of now, those two are spreading heartless, while our own members handle any necessary alliances. If we can somehow lure Sora out of Twilight_ _Town_ _then perhaps those two imbeciles can handle the rest…"_

"_You have my trust, Vexen," _alleged the Superior in a bland tone of voice. "_I am certain that your knowledge will surely lead to obtaining Kingdom Hearts." _His visage remained blank, devoid of any interest at all as he listened to the conversation. "_All the pieces are coming together. Soon we shall all be complete." _Yes, it was true. Everything seemed to be going according to plan for the Organization. With the return of the four formerly deceased members and Zexion, the Org itself was almost complete, bar two traitors.

Appearing out of nowhere came Saïx with no real explanation. He clutched his claymore in hand and wore a scowl of sorts. Stepping towards Xemnas, he uttered, "_Xemnas, I am afraid that Pete has made a fool of himself over in Halloween_ _Town. He almost gave away our true motives in the form of a monologue. That imprudent imbecile." _Had he the opportunity, the Lunar Diviner would have surely thrashed the blubber known as Pete for hours on end for the mere pleasure of hearing him scream, well, if he could feel pleasure at all.

Seeing VII join the rendezvous, Xemnas sighed, "_All in due time, Saïx. For now, we must focus on our main priority: Kingdom Hearts. Remember, it is the one way we shall be complete." _Grumbling, the Lunar Diviner forced a nod. He wanted to be complete just as much as any member, it was just… he was a berserk sort by nature. Shaking his head, the Superior added, "_Perhaps you would like to do something productive. I hear that the King has been spotted in Traverse_ _Town. I would think that you should look into that, wouldn't you agree?"_

"_Understood, sir, understood."_

**End of Chapter**

**------------------------------**

**AN: **Woo, so as you see, Sora, unlike his anti form in KH2, is actually able to speak and use the Keyblade. We'll see more of him in upcoming chapters too. Also, I do realize that the Axel scene was more or less him simply toying with Sora, but there wasn't a real need for a full blown battle.

I do hope that I wrote the Vexen fight decently, as I have never actually PLAYED CoM. I simply read the script and the manga. Well, enough rambling for now! Reviews are encouraged and appreciated!


	16. Confrontation

Woo, long time no update, huh? Sorry about that, but I've had a bit of a block with this chapter, and, actually, I don't like how it turned out. Regardless, here is chapter 13!

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**Chapter 13: Confrontation**

In the center of the Tram Common, a large, dark, circular shape took form. Its tendrils reached upward, an aura of suspicion emitting from the center. From its alternating purples, blacks, and blues, this strange gateway gave the citizens of Twilight Town quite the fright. Even more interesting was the mere fact that, out of the center of this opening, a large ship, and three beings were spat out. _CRASH! _With a bang, the red and yellow Gummi made a collision with the streets of the Common. Landing right in front of it was Roxas, followed by Donald and Goofy. Dizziness overwhelmed them, while clouds of dust curled around the vehicle. Roxas had indeed transported himself and the others back to his home, but he could have been more precise.

Groaning, Donald was the first to pull himself upright. His zipper clad had been tossed askew, while dirt coated his beak. Frustrated, he shook his head in order to be rid of the filth covering his being all before adjusting his cap. "Aww phooey!" he squawked irately. "What's the big idea, Roxas? How can you make those portals like…like the Organization?!" He narrowed his eyes and turned his feather coated head towards the blonde in suspicion.

Goofy, who had also managed to sit up, was also interested in this. From what he had seen thus far, it was as if only users of the darkness could warp so easily. Chuckling, he exclaimed, "Gawrsh, Donald's right. How didja do that? And why did that Organization feller call ya a traitor?" A gullible gleam along with much curiosity gleamed across the defender, who simply scratched his nose while he waited for XIII to speak up and give some clarification.

Nervously, Roxas pondered to himself about a good excuse. There was always the option of telling the truth, but what if that just caused more trouble? By all means, the two lackeys of King Mickey could end up taking things the wrong way and trying to defeat him just because he was a nobody. Obviously, this wasn't Roxas' desire in any way. Somehow, he just knew that telling them everything would also lead to Sora figuring things out too, and there was NO WAY he was gonna let that happen. Shaking his head, the boy reached into the depths of his mind in order to come up with some way to fool these nimrods.

"Uhh…" he began, shaking slightly as he improvised, "about the whole traitor thing… You see, at one time the Organization, well, they…er… they were good guys, and I was there to help them." So far, this little fib seemed to be working, as Donald and Goofy listened attentively. Grinning slightly at his success, the Key of Destiny continued, "Well, after a while they sorta got all corrupt and became nobodies, and they became evil…But I _wasn't_, so I sorta betrayed them…because it was…the right thing to do?"

"And what about the portals?" Donald demanded, tapping his foot eagerly. "You never did explain _that_." What was once a pleasant expression had once again reverted to a frown as the snow color fowl became more puzzled by Roxas' logic. There was just something that didn't seem right, despite the plausible explanation he had given. It was almost as if he had been hiding something.

Shaking his head, the teenager continued his little lie, hoping it would work. "Actually," he falsely explained, "there's a funny story about that. Uhm, well, the reason why I have dark powers is because, at one point…I was kinda… tricked into the darkness? Kinda like Riku. Yeah, that's it. So, even though I'm back in the light, I still have that power." When no snappy responses were given by either of the king's servants, Roxas couldn't help but sigh. Despite the total improvisation of his fib, it was apparent that it had done the trick.

Yet again, Donald's visage shifted. After hearing Roxas' 'story' he was convinced that the strange Keybearer was good enough…well, sort of. He still had his doubts, but thus far, he had not done anything out of the ordinary, meaning there was a good enough reason to trust him. Not making a single irate sound, the featherbed picked up his staff and trotted forward a little. Goofy also prepared to leave the Common area, as it was blatantly clear that Sora was still…somewhere. Staying in one position wouldn't change that. Knowing this, Roxas reluctantly made his way towards the two animaloid allies of Sora. He had to refrain from any more unusual behavior.

For the next few minutes, the trio remained silent as they trudged through the busy streets of Twilight Town. Despite the hubbub, maneuvering seemed to be relatively simple, as the crowds were mostly gathered around the various shops. However, upon reaching the Station Heights, this all began to change, as, out of nowhere, a man in a black cloak could be seen leaning against a wall, pondering to himself. The immediate reaction, at least for Donald and Goofy, was one of surprise and rage. Here was a potential enemy, just standing there at leisure.

Axel cocked his head to the side. His suspicion earlier from hearing the crash had been confirmed. Just as expected, there were Donald and Goofy…but with them was someone he was actually surprised to see. From his blonde, matted hair to his strange getup, it was blatant that Roxas had joined the duo for whatever reason. Not that this mattered, since the very reason why the Flurry of the Dancing Flames had remained in Twilight Town so long was because he had been waiting for his best buddy to arrive. Seeing this, he casually stepped forth, beaming with pleasure.

"Well, Roxas, I didn't expect to see you with Sora's lackeys," he snickered, coming closer to the threesome. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for you, kid." At this, both Donald and Goofy leapt in front of the fifteen year old, angrily scowling with their weapons clutched tight and at the ready. Axel's response was a simple snigger, as he shook his head. "Heh, I guess you two think that I'm one of the bad guys, eh?" Instantly, the feathered bag of hot temper leapt forward, waving his staff angrily.

"Gah!" he snapped, stomping his large, webbed foot in fury, "Don't try and fool with us! You're part of the Organization! We know better than to trust you." Despite the seriousness of the moment, Axel wasn't exactly phased by the fowl's warning. Being a playful sort, he simply stepped right past the featherbrain, giving him a gentle shove. When Goofy tried to block him from coming near Roxas, the pyromaniac just flicked the canine on his nose before stopping inches away from XIII.

As opposed to his traveling buddies, Roxas wasn't near as agitated. In fact, his visage beamed with pleasure at the sight of his closest companion. While Donald and Goofy tried to get back in front, the Key of Destiny simply smirked, crossing his arms at the sight of his bud. Snickering, he exclaimed, Well, Axel, surprised to see you around here. I thought you were still bummed about how I walked out on you…" Sighing, the flame head shook his head in response.

"Actually, I've been waiting for you, kiddo," replied VIII gleefully. "And believe me, Roxas, it's been a real snooze cruise in this place. Well, besides the fact that Sora's been terrorizing everything. THAT sparked things up a little." At the mention of Sora's name, Donald suddenly interrupted this little conversation. He was totally shocked by the idea of Sora being…terrifying. The feathery hot head just couldn't bear the thought of it. So, he simply decided to interrogate VIII.

Tugging rapidly on Axel's cloak, Donald squawked, "WHAT was that about Sora?! And just who do you think you are, anyway?!" Something told the poultry mage that there was more to this than the mere words Axel had spoken. For someone he had ventured with for so long to suddenly go insane and dark just sounded terrible, and even a hot head like Donald had to admit that the notion was frightening. For all he knew, the change could have been irreversible! If THAT were the case, who KNEW what would happen then?!

Shaking the fowl off his leg, Axel explained with a sneer, "Look, Sora's…well, he's a little out of it right now. Got it memorized? I think Vexen, one of the Organization members screwed with him a little. Frankly, I don't really care, since I only came here for Roxas. Still, if you want him so bad, he should be up by the station by now. Have fun, freaks." Roxas stepped away from the two followers of King Mickey and stopped right next to his pal, who simply sniggered again.

Shrugging, XIII exclaimed, "Look, guys, I think I'm gonna hang with Axel for a bit. He's my best friend, and we kinda…well, we got separated. Yeah, let's go with that." Confused, both Donald and Goofy passed strange glances at another. To them, it was strange how Roxas had suddenly decided to travel with someone who was a potential threat. The only thing Donald could think of was more reasons to ponder over Roxas' alliance. After all, Vexen _had_ considered him a traitor, so maybe there was more to things than the blondey had said.

Raising a brow, the fowl demanded, "Just what do you think you're doing? He's with…with THEM! You can't just…just…WAH!" Sputtering and squawking, the poultry mage went into a slight tantrum. Now, Axel watched this with pleasure, a broad smirk spread across his mug, while Roxas just shook his head. It seemed like just about anything could light that feathery bomb's fuse. Unlike the two nobodies, however, Goofy wasn't so pleased. He stood there, trying to calm the raging mage, only to fail.

In this madness, Roxas found that the King's servants were too distracted to pay attention to Axel and himself. This meant that the chance to sneak off was right around the corner. Now was better than just waiting for the feathery time bomb to chill, anyway. So, with a grin, Roxas motioned his bud to get moving. Donald and Goofy would figure things out eventually, but, for now, they'd be preoccupied Axel's response was a simple nod before about-facing and heading towards the back alley. Now that the two friends were alone, they could converse about more important matters.

"So," Axel said with a broad grin, as he and Roxas slowly ambled through the alley, "I've been meaning to ask, Roxas, why the heck were you traveling with those kooks? Certainly your best bet would be to stay AWAY from Sora's lackeys, right?" Roxas frowned. Clearly Axel had no idea what had went down since the last time they met. Yep, the blondey would definitely have some serious explaining to do.

Looking towards his bud, the Key of Destiny explained, "Well, it's kinda funny, but I guess I was in the wrong place at the wrong time? Eh…" Axel simply raised a brow at this remark. He had a slight understanding of what had happened, well, sorta, but all the same, there were many blanks. At this, he shook his head of untamed red locks, somewhat annoyed. He wasn't just going to go without answers.

"Umm…you could be more specific, y'know," shrugged the Flurry of the Dancing Flames, leaning against one of the brick walls within the alleyway. "Just saying that you weren't in the right place aint much info, kid. Got it memorized? Look, you don't have to hide anything from me…I'm your best friend, after all." Frowning, Roxas came to a slight halt, looking away from his so called partner in crime. His eyes showed worry and confusion.

"I know, I know…" he muttered, looking in the distance. "I guess it's just…I've been through a lot lately. Sorry…" Heaving a sigh, Axel just shook his head once more. He didn't exactly like seeing his pal all blue, etc.

"Hey, take it easy, Roxas," he said in an encouraging manner, "you've had it rough. Heck, we all have. I say we should get outta here and lay low for a bit. Maybe catch up on a few things. Sound good?" Now, Roxas _would_ have responded to this, but something shortly after Axel's remark caused a slight interruption. Yes, in the distance, a few voices could be heard conversing. From the sound of it, they belonged to three teenagers who Roxas knew far too well.

"I just don't get it!" Hayner shouted in the distance. "What could've messed Sora up like that? I mean, last time we saw him, he was cool! I mean, it's not any day someone comes around and kicks Seifer's butt! You know what I'm saying? Now he's obsessed with HEARTS?! What's up with THAT?" Eyes wide, Roxas was almost tempted to run in the direction of Hayner and the others. The only thing that kept him from doing so was the sheer fact that he indeed knew that this wasn't _his_ Twilight Town. Therefore, the trio wouldn't even recognize him, nor would they even care, he thought.

"I dunno," said Pence in response. "At least that cloaked guy was there to help us, though."

Mystified, XIII turned back towards Axel, who remained up against the wall, wearing a casual expression. Upon Pence's mentioning of a "cloaked guy" it seemed quite clear that Axel was the only one around to fit that description. Plus, the flame loving nobody had explained how he had been waiting for his best friend for quite some time. But, still, it was strange for the blonde to imagine his best friend being _generous_ for once. If anything, Axel seemed, more or less, like a casual joker. Heroism wasn't his thing, at least, most of the time.

Baffled, Roxas exclaimed, "You were here to help them?" Mellow, the Flurry of the Dancing Flames responded with a nod. "Dang… I guess even _you_ can be a softy, Axel!" Snickering, the thirteenth member of Organization XIII watched as his only remaining friend's face turned beat red in embarrassment. VIII then rolled his eyes, somewhat annoyed by Roxas' little tease.

"Look," he responded, finally pushing himself away from the wall of bricks, "enough small talk. Sora's still here, so we should leave A-S, A-P…Got it memorized?" At this, Roxas rolled his eyes. "Of course…" added the pyromaniac, paying no attention to his partner's teasing, "if you want to take one last look around this place, I guess we could hang around for a little bit. I mean, this dump may not be your real home, but I know how much it means to ya, kid. So, what do ya say?" A beaming grin spread across Roxas' mug, as he ambled towards his rather unorthodox companion.

Spirits lifted, the nobody of Sora said, "Thanks, Axel… I really guess I owe you one, huh? Anyway…I guess we better get this over with before Sora decides to come after me, huh?" When Axel gave an assuring nod before trudging downward, Roxas knew it was time to head on down. From the looks of things, VIII seemed to be interested in going down towards the Sandlot, which meant Seifer, for sure, but it _was_ the closest area around. Besides, it would give the teenager an air of nostalgia that he had been devoid of for so long.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Twilight_** **_Town: Station_**

Sora stood atop the Clock Tower, peering down below. His still gleaming, amber eyes examined the scenery below, awaiting any signs of living beings which could prove to be a useful remedy for his thirst for hearts. Both of his gloves hands were clenched into fists, one grasped tightly onto the golden hilt of the Kingdom Key. A stern expression gleamed upon his features, from his yellowed orbs to his contorted frown. One thing was certain to Sora, and that was the mere fact that he craved hearts with such a supreme desire that even a heartless could scarcely compare.

_I don't know what's wrong with me, _he thought, continuing to gaze at the world below. Despite being incredibly vicious and dangerous at the moment, a part of his innocence remained in the depths of his mind, telling him that all of this was wrong. _I just can't control myself. _Without any real reason, he slowly began to burst into deep, bellowing laughter. He shook his head, continuing his sniggering. "**_This is pathetic. My heart keeps calling to me, trying to make me do what's 'right'. Heh, moralities… how typical." _**

Down below, Donald and Goofy trudged towards the station building. It was plain to see by their expressions that they were, or at least Donald, was quite irate. Goofy, on the other hand just kept his placid smile, all while gently cradling his shield within his grasp. Both of them were equally worried about Sora's condition, of course, it was just that the poultry mage just showed his emotions in a different manner. The sight of the seemingly empty station didn't really improve matters, either. Sighing, both he and Goofy came to an abrupt halt, just a few yards away from the station building.

"Gah," grumbled the frustrated bag of feathers, "I knew we couldn't trust that guy! Why did you let him get away, Goofy?!" Ruffled by this absence of the oh so important Keybearer, Donald impatiently tapped his large, webbed foot while eyeing Goofy sharply. The dopey canine, of course, simply looked to the side, scratching his head with a gloved finger. Certainly he was just as concerned as his ally.

Up above, Sora noticed his two familiars in the vicinity. Judging by their positions and lack of motion, it was clear that they knew not of his location. Grinning maniacally, he crossed his arms, seemingly entertained by the lack of awareness in his so called comrades. It seemed that he would have to 'greet' his friends…oh yes, he would give them a greeting that they would remember. It was only a matter of trivial moments until the corrupt teen would make his appearance once again. Then, he would strike. _Even if… _he thought, _they're…my friends…I can't help it…_

Back on the ground, Goofy was going through a thorough explanation of the situation. "Well, umm," mumbled the nervous defender, "I guess he just got the best of us. Yup, I'm thinkin' that Organization feller was messin' with us. Gawrsh, but does that mean Roxas was lyin' too?" In response, Donald merely shrugged his shoulders, tucking away his mage's staff. From the looks of things, Axel had totally mislead them…probably so he and Roxas could ditch the two 'freaks'.

"I don't know what to think, Goofy," mused the feathery magician of sorts, now looking less arrogant. "But I guess Sora isn't here…and now we've lost Roxas! What's the big idea, anyway? It's not fair!" In the corner of his eye, a slight tear could be seen. Yes, for once Donald Duck, head magician of Disney castle and local hot head was sincerely worried. Who knew what could have happened to Sora? What if he was stuck in his dark form with no way of changing back? The sheer idea was discomforting to him.

Now was the time for the Keybearer to make his grand entrance. Simply from listening to that mild mannered conversation, he could assume that the duo was incredibly concerned. This would make them perfect targets indeed. Worry and sadness would mean that the two fools would be unable to bare attacking someone they cared for. Failing to defend themselves would lead to easy picking. But in all this consideration, Sora couldn't help but ponder over the mention of Roxas' name… Even if he had been messed up in his mind, there was still that curiosity that overwhelmed his thirst for fresh hearts. However, due to his rather unstable state, this interest was turned into a longing for Roxas' heart itself…a heart which he didn't have.

As opposed to merely snatching Donald and Goofy's hearts, Sora's motives changed. He would merely entertain the two until they were weak enough to squeeze the answers from. Not only would the torment delight his anti state, but finding Roxas would also soothe his true self, buried deep in the bowels of his heart. In the end, it would potentially work out for both sides of Sora. So, lifting up his weapon, the Keybearer made his descent, darkness enveloping his very being as he slowly floated towards the ground.

The sudden whir in the air caught the attention of both of King Mickey's servants, who instantly whirled around, only to see the being they had been searching for this whole time. Because Sora had yet to turn into Anti Form, the duo simply assumed that he was alright, and therefore, they darted towards him, bright smiles replacing their lugubrious gazes from before. Sora smirked at this mere notion. How clueless they were of his present state. Was it really that hard to notice his distraught essence? Regardless, he lowered himself to the ground, trekking forward, the aura forming around his fists.

"**_Donald, Goofy!" _**he exclaimed in false excitement. "**_I've been looking everywhere for you!" _**How blissfully unaware the duo was of his widening smirk along with the darkness slowly but surely altering his being. All that mattered to them at the moment was seeing their close pal in one piece. Heck, he hardly looked corrupt or messed up to them. They just went on darting towards Sora as if they had totally forgotten Axel's warning. Oh how this amused Sora.

Yes, they did hug Sora. Yes, it did seem as if things were looking up, as a trio of friends was reunited after a brief separation. Donald went on about how stupid he was to have let the spiky haired teen go off on his own, only "Riku" keeping him company, while Goofy simply giggled. For a few moments, the Keybearer went along with this charade. Getting the two this close would only make striking at the opportune moment a simpler task. While the babbled on, he allowed his being to be consumed by the darkness, his form changing once again.

By the time the two started to notice this metamorphosis, it was too late. Sora already had enough power to handle his allies, and there was nothing the king's fools could do about it. His first move upon reaching anti form was shoving both Donald and Goofy towards the station building with his increased strength. From there, he hurtled himself straight at them, pinning them hard against the outer wall. His emotionless eyes peered deeply, at the two who were overcome with fright. When no counter attacks were made, Sora grabbed the duo again and tossed them up into the air, cackling with pure glee.

_WHAM! _With extreme force, both the magician and the mage met the concrete ground of the station itself. Ruffled as he could get, Donald scurried to his feet, holding his staff. Goofy shortly followed, clutching his tool of defense at the ready. However, the drake was unsure of what to do in his present situation, as a powerful spell would only injure Sora, who was already preparing for another assault. Weak nerved as he was, the only thing he could think of was a weak flame spell, producing a meager ember which just scarcely caused the Anti Sora any pain.

Regardless, he and Goofy rushed out of the way, right before Sora could ram into them, but instead of crashing into a wall, like he had done with Axel, the teenager merely about faced, increasing his speed as he got closer and closer to his worrisome prey. Again, the skilled poultry mage used a weakened spell, this time using thunder, but all it did was cause a very weak shock. The problem was, he was too fearful to take any aggressive matters. Goofy was even worse, since he had no other weapons, bar his shield. In short, those two were sitting ducks, hindered by a simple friendship which, at the present moment, Sora couldn't care about in the least!

"**_What's wrong?" _**spat Anti Sora, diving at the fleeing twosome. "**_Are you afraid to get a little dangerous? Do you think that hurting me will make things worse?" _**This time around, he managed to hit both of them, his clawed hands mauling them. "_**Don't you understand? I'm not going to let down…until you tell me about Roxas!" **SLASH! _Donald winced at the immense pain brought from Sora's assault. _SCRATCH! _Goofy could only whimper at this horrid form of torment. "**_TALK!_** **_Go ahead! Or would you rather I removed your hearts?! DON'T MAKE ME RESORT TO IT!!!"_**

As the pain increased, both friends began to struggle. Just the sheer force in which Sora was inflicting was becoming too much. It was like being constantly stabbed with a steak knife, only less dangerous, but just as painful. Friend or not, this was insane! Not that this mattered to Sora himself. All he wanted was answers, and torture would only make things come at a much swifter pace---if it weren't for the fact that he was about to meet the fury of an incredible jolt.

Out of nowhere, Donald abruptly shouted "WAAAAH! TAKE THIS!!!!" as a surge of white-hot electricity beamed down from the sky. Its first target was Sora himself, and it only took a second for the bolt to strike his spine, sending him backwards. This was not the end, though, as this little lighting had a bit of an after shock. Followed by this large surge were two smaller bolts, which left a perfect opportunity for both Donald and Goofy to break free. Their primary action would be finding a useful way of keeping defensive, while trying to figure out how to help Sora.

Snorting, the Keybearer watched his comrades on the move. Despite that large onslaught of electricity, they were not trying to harm him any longer. Either way, he pondered for a moment. With both Donald and Goofy, it would prove to be far more challenging, if the two were to decide to become offensive in their tactics. Two to one was far from fair game, so to speak. So, instead of just striking again, he snapped his clawed fingers, as a strange, glowing form of energy began to emerge from beneath the ground. Surprise filled both Donald and Goofy, who were ever alert, as they found this aura forming between the two of them! It wasn't long before it had stretched above Goofy's immense height, creating a barrier between the two…and allowing Sora to strike at Donald as he pleased.

"**_Hehe," _**purred Sora delightfully, "**_this shall be quite interesting…"_**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Traverse_** **_Town_**

It had been ages since Riku had last visited Twilight Town. Even now, he could still vividly remember his encounter with Sora in the Third District, and his shock to not only see his Keyblade, but also his new friends. At that time, he had been far more foolish and prone to jealousy, and Maleficent's influence had only made things worse. He could only shake his head at the mere thought of succumbing to her treachery. Then again, things had changed, and he truly had learned from his experience, so, as he stood in the middle of the first district along side the King, gazing at the social activities within the immediate area, he felt far less shameful.

The place had barely changed since he last visited. The neon lights, various shops, and social activities were all the same. Perhaps things were a tad less vivid than he remembered, due to many of the citizens returning to their homes after they had been restored, but there were still enough locals to keep the place in shape. He was just glad that people weren't alarmed by his appearance. Then again, being a harbor for those who lost contact with their home worlds, he was certain that his near heartless-like appearance was nothing compared to some of the visitors. King Mickey's presence only made things easier to bear.

Casually observing some passers by, the sixteen year old quietly said, "You know, I guess this isn't so bad…" For quite some time, he had been going around without his hood hiding the darkness within him. Perhaps this was simply because he was trying to be less closed up. In truth, Riku had become far less shameful of his appearance after some encouragement from his highness. "At least I'm still myself. You were right, your majesty…I shouldn't just run away from all my problems! Sora could use my help, anyway." Smiling, the rodent looked up to his associate and nodded.

"I'm glad you're finally seein' that it's the strength in your heart that counts, not what's on the outside" chortled the king in response. As usual, the King was in bright spirits, despite the blatant crisis going on throughout the worlds. There was seldom a moment where that mouse didn't smile. "You just gotta remember your friends, and keep your hopes high! After all, even in the darkness, there is always a light." It was really great that Mickey had stuck with Riku after all this time. It was likely that without his influence, the darkness might have swallowed the silver haired teen completely!

Riku tugged on his sleeve and muttered solemnly, "My friends…yeah, I can't just let them down. I guess that's why I kidnapped Roxas in the first place, even though it was wrong… Maybe, if I get the chance to meet him, I can apologize." He brushed back his bangs and added, "By the way…why did you bring me here, Mickey? I haven't seen any heartless, and I really doubt Organization would bother with this place. What's up?" Mickey's gaze changed to a frown at that last notion, as he ambled in front of Riku.

"You see, Riku," he explained, "I brought us to Traverse Town for that very reason. The Organization wouldn't bother messin' around with a world that's been sealed, and it just makes it easier to discuss things in private…" This talk of private discussion _did_ make sense to Riku. It was bad enough that the king had to hide his identity with a cloak, so Traverse Town would at least be less uptight. Of course the explanation did not end here. "Anyway, I've got some bad news about Sora…"

Suddenly, the sixteen year old's eyes widened. Had his pupils been visible, a look of pure surprise would be clearly apparent. "WHAT?!" he shouted, suddenly alarmed. After all, Sora was his closest friend, and he had already been through a lot with just trying to help Naminé and DiZ restore his memories. "Tell me what happened, your highness!"

Still wearing the same, unhappy expression, the royal rodent said, "Well, it's kinda complicated…But, you see, back at Beast's Castle, he was kidnapped by the Organization. That's not the worst part either. It was Marluxia who kidnapped him, meaning that they're all back…even Zexion. And…and they made Sora corrupt. I don't know much else about it, but I thought you'd wanna know, since he's your best friend…" This sudden news saddened Riku greatly. Had he not been so foolish and actually shown his face, none of this would have happened. Now there was an even greater guilt on his shoulder than the mere fact that he had let the darkness swallow him.

"I can't believe this…" he sadly crooned, "I should've been there for him! Instead, I was a coward; afraid to face my best friend…I'm such an idiot…" Even with his normally calm and collected personality, this news was greatly affecting his calm. This was someone he had known ever since he was a little kid, someone he had grown up with. The mere fact that Riku had fled only made his grief worse.

Seeing this, Mickey placed a hang on Riku's leg, being too short to reach his shoulder, and tried to give him a reassuring gleam. However, this didn't help much, and the Keyblade's True Master remained silent and calm. He just was too overwhelmed by the news to be cheery. Nonetheless, Mickey would not give up. Standing up straight, wearing a stern expression, he exclaimed, "Riku! You shouldn't blame yourself! It's not your fault. C'mon Riku. You shouldn't be standin' here and mopin' about. You can still help Sora!"

This was all so amusing. Here, blissfully unaware, were Riku and his royal highness. How they had been unable to spot a certain cloaked figure was completely uncertain to Saïx, but it mattered not. He had been sent to Traverse Town for a reason, and there was no way he would let the Superior's plan go astray. All the Lunar Diviner would have to do is wait for the opportune moment to strike, and then he would unleash his power. Oh how enjoyable it would be, even for an empty being like himself. Yes… it was only a matter of time.

**End of Chapter**

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**AN: **If this chapter is confusing, I apologize, but, again, writer's block does that. Anywho, I added the Riku bit because I haven't done anything with him in a while, and I felt it was high time he showed up again. Hmm, I really need to make a picture of what he looks like in this fic. XD

You may have noticed that Zexion hasn't shown up in these last to chapters, but do not fear! He shall return in the next chapter, with a bit of spicy info. Hehe, I can't wait. Well, as usual, reviews are encouraged, as I'd like comments and critique.


	17. The Shadow of Doubt

It's been a while, hasn't it? Yeah, sorry about the lack of updates, but I've been rather busy reading Eldest for school. Anyway, here's the next update! Lotsa scenes covered in this chapter, including a rather pointless Destiny Islands one.

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**Chapter 14: _The Shadow of Doubt_**

A warm breeze blew across the tropical paradise known as Destiny Islands. The sun, shone bright like an omen of joy, bringing happiness wherever its rays touched. Palm trees danced in the wind, waving in an ongoing procession. Cool, shimmering waves of blue met the sheltered sands of the shore, warm to the touch, while the sound of children laughing, playing, and telling each other about their day resonated in the area. It seemed as if things truly were perfect today on the islands. It had been a long time since the heartless had first arrived, and conflict broke lose, starting an adventure for Sora, Riku, and even Kairi Yes, things had indeed changed.

Staring into the vast sea was an all too familiar young lady. From her long, wavy locks, yellow like the light from the sun, to her gleaming eyes of blue, all the way to her simple, white dress, it was obvious that Naminé had arrived on Destiny Islands for whatever reason. So there she sat, sketchbook in hand, etching away an image. Using a goldenrod crayon, she created the image of spiky, unruly hair. A peach colored stick of wax created a skin tone, while a cerulean crayon was used to create the image of two curious eyes. For a moment, she paused, realizing that replicating his eyes was a difficult task. Her mind dwelled on Roxas. Despite barely knowing him, she had this strong fascination in the teenage boy. Everything from his naivety to his carefree personality were just appealing. Plus, besides the Riku Replica and Sora, he was the only person, or should I say, nobody who treated her in a friendly manner.

Frowning, she pulled out a few other crayons in various shades of view. It seemed that a single shade would not suffice in replicating the vibrancy of those eyes. She tried her very best to create a believable image, blending each shade the best that she could, but each time, there was no avail. Eventually, she gave up and went to shading the rest of her piece. The picture itself obviously showed a great effort. In the image, Roxas simply was smiling, looking as if he had not a care in the world…quite the opposite of how he was currently feeling. All the same, it was indeed a work of effort, and, even if it wasn't perfect, to Naminé it was still good.

Upon finishing her drawing, she could hear footsteps in the distance. Someone was heading her way. In a split second, her calm, content behavior halted, as she hurryingly tucked away her sketchbook and opened a portal. She couldn't afford being spotted, at least, not now. If anyone, especially Kairi, saw her, things would surely lead to utter bafflement, let alone confusion. So, right then, as the dark tendrils greeted her, the young lass couldn't help but dive in and disappear in a flash. The only sign of her that was left was a single blue crayon which she happened to drop in her rush.

Kairi was, as usual, having her daily visit to the island shore. This had become routine ever since she and Sora were separated a year ago. Despite all the times Selphie, Tidus, and even Wakka had told her to move on, she simply would not. Sora, Riku too, were simply too important for the cherry haired teenager to forget. They had always been there for her no matter what the situation. To be blunt, they were her closest friends, who she had known ever since she had arrived on the Island so many years before. Today, she was dressed in her casual clothes, a pink dress with zippers and black straps. Beneath it was another garb, a lighter, whiter piece. She fore tall boots which nearly reached her knees and in her hand was a large bag.

"Maybe he'll come…" she said to herself, as she approached the shoreline. "He said he'd come back. He has to!" A frown was plastered upon her mug, as she reminisced that fateful moment a year ago when she had been separated from Sora right after being reunited. It was at that moment that she had vowed to wait for him every day until he returned. Doing so had been relatively tough for the Princess of Heart, as there was interference, such as school, not to mention Selphie had often interrupted her. Plus, it seemed that each day Kairi began to worry even more. A year was a long time to be away.

Upon reaching the shoreline, the strawberry haired princess eyed a peculiar object. Sitting there for no apparent reason was a small, indigo colored crayon. Judging by the size and shape, it had been used several times. Kairi eyed this in bafflement, cocking her head to the side before reaching down and picking up the stick of wax. There was no brand name on this little tool of art, just a strange symbol that looked like an upside down heart with splinters. The thing that bothered her, though, was the fact that this little object had been sitting there with no real purpose. Plus, there weren't that many artists around, let alone ones who used crayons. Something wasn't right.

_I don't understand, _thought the seventh Princess of Heart, examining the crayon in curiosity. _This couldn't belong to Selphie, Tidus, or Wakka… but, they're the only others around the island. It makes no sense. _Passively, she tucked the little wax stick into her pocket. It was, more or less, impulse, but one also had to bear in mind her inquisitiveness in the matter. Once the little crayon was well hidden, she put down her bag and took a seat on the warm, welcoming sand, closing her eyes. The wind gently brushed against her peach colored skin, as she simply relaxed.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Beast's Castle: Library**_

"_You know, Larxene… I had to go through the trouble of rounding up all of those prisoners… It wasn't exactly my choice of an evening activity."_

Zexion entered the library with a rather flustered air in his presence. As he had told his ally, upon finding that the prisoners had escaped, he ended up dealing with each and every one. Such as task took quite some time, as there were several inhabitants within the castle, and even with portals, things like this took time. In his hand, as he made his way closer to the Savage Nymph, VI carried a glass container with a gleaming rose inside. An aura of power shone from within, as the Cloaked Schemer placed this plant atop the table. Seeing this, Larxene put down a large novel she was reading and leaned forward inquisitively.

"_What's with the plant?" _she snapped in disgust. "_I thought that Flower Boy was the only one here who liked those stupid things." _She tapped her gloved fingers against the wooden surface of the table as she observed her fellow Organization member adjusting this peculiar blossom as if he actually cared about it. But, that didn't make sense, since Zexion wasn't the type to go all florist on anyone. If anything, he was, more or less, the quiet, manipulative type. Now, his response to Larxene's question would come soon enough, as he turned his gaze towards the electric sadist.

Brushing his bangs out of his eyes, he retorted, "_For your information…this flower contains a mass amount of energy…In fact, it has been able to last ten years without losing a single petal. This could prove useful; as a great amount of power is suppressed within it…I'm going to bring this to Vexen to see if he can study it." _Even with Zexion being utterly serious, however, the Savage Nymph wasn't interested in the least. Technical stuff wasn't her style, so, instead of being fascinated, she just shrugged and continued reading her book. Yes, she was indeed totally oblivious to any knowledge in which VI had to offer. Though, without true emotions, that made sense.

Zexion shook his head at Larxene's rather bland behavior. For whatever reason, it somewhat bothered him when she shrugged off things of importance as if they were pointless theories. If she were to be his ally, XII would have to learn how to appreciate the little things. On the other hand, trying to convince her now, of all times, wasn't exactly a bright idea. _Sometimes I wonder how I ever got by…in her state… _he pondered to himself, turning away from the wooden table. _She'll understand soon enough._ Unruffled, the Cloaked Schemer decided to pick up a book as well. At least it would give him something to do, while he waited for Marluxia to finish tormenting the Beast. It didn't really matter what he read, so much as if it was intelligent, and thus, he grabbed the first novel he could find, namely, a collection of poetry by Edgar Alan Poe. _I suppose this shall suffice…_

For the next few minutes, the two nobodies kept to themselves and their books. Each of them was fully absorbed in this simple activity. In reality, time passed rather slowly, and neither Organization member paid attention to the world passing by. Yes, reading was a pleasant activity, even for those who were mere fragments of their former selves. Only when the sound of boots clicking on the floor resonated within the walls of the library did the two turn away from their reading. As predicted, there stood Marluxia, a bushel of roses in his clutch for no apparent reason. The first thing he noticed, upon coming closes to his comrades, was the gleaming, enchanted rose in its glass dome. Seeing this brought a falsetto smile upon his visage.

"_Why, Zexion…I'm impressed," _purred number eleven putting his own collection of flowers down atop the table. For whatever reason, he just wanted to reach out and touch that precious rose. It was like an ongoing instinct. "_How **did** you manage to swipe that rose with that horrid Beast guarding it like a life source?" _Slowly, his hand continued to inch towards the glass, he just wanted to touch the flower. But, of course, before he could remove the glass top, his appendage was met by the hard cover of a certain book of poems along with a somewhat agitated Zexion. Instantly, he threw back his hand, surprised by the sudden response from the Cloaked Schemer.

Snarling, Zexion exclaimed, "_Only I am to touch the rose, you imbecile! I need it…for my own reasons, mind you. An object of such power could indeed help in my own scheming, a scheme which neither you nor Larxene will hear a single word of until I am certain that you can be trusted…" _With that, he swiftly jerked the rose away from the Graceful Assassin's reach, shaking his head in annoyance. "_You really are starting to irritate me, Marluxia. Surely you can do something more productive than spending time out in the frozen forest, gathering roses? I should think you would use your bloody head!" _Of course, XI wasn't phased. As opposed to really taking a consent in Zexion's advice, he quietly sat himself near Larxene, yawning.

"_It's impossible for you to be irritated, Zexion, you know that…" _he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "_I long for genuine emotions as much as the next nobody, but sometimes I think you put a little **too **much integrity into this little rouse. Though, I admit that your actions almost seem genuine. Congrats on the valiant effort." _Sighing, Marluxia then turned his attention to Larxene, who was still incredibly focused on her reading. It seemed as if this library was utterly dull, with the lack of Sora among other things. All the same, it was best not to bother with meager things.

_WHAM! _Out of nowhere, Zexion tossed his novel flat on the table. To say the least, he was not exactly entertained by all this silence. Rather than continuing to read, he had decided to leave this dull environment, but, of course, he didn't do so without knocking XI's precious flowers onto the ground. Marluxia's reaction was an immediate on of shock, as his little roses were stomped upon by a certain Cloaked Schemer. Why he had done this was unknown, but, it appeared that he was rather bothered by the pesky flower loving nobody. As for Larxene, who didn't exactly find Zexion's little act wrong in the least. If anything, it was amusing to see the pink haired traitor gawk at this sight.

"_This is to show you that I am no fool, Marluxia!"_ Zexion snapped viciously. "_I know well that nobodies cannot feel emotions, you docile imbecile! It's deplorable…these feelings…they're…they're all a rouse… It's true that I am not angry in the least, as I am unable to be!" STOMP! _Down went another rose as the rather vicious nobody continued his little ranting. "_No need to blurt out what is commonly known… You are not as intelligent as you claim to be. Why, instead of being productive, here you are picking BLOODY WORTHLESS FLOWERS!" _Panting, he ceased this smashing and slowly walked away from his allies, muttering to himself.

Staring, rather confused, Larxene grumbled, "_Gee, I wonder what his problem is. I swear Zex has some serious issues…more than you, Flower Boy." _Despite being slightly appalled by Larxene's nature, the Graceful Assassin couldn't help but nod. Really, Zexion's ethics were a tad on the farfetched side. Why was he so fascinated in flowers, and why did he have that outburst? What was the point he was trying to prove through this?

"_Sometimes, I wonder, Larxene…" _resounded the flower-freak, shaking his head. "_I have a feeling that there's more to that little schemer than we think. Go investigate. It may help us in our conquest of the Organization after all." _An evil grin spread across his features at the thought of a successful conquest. Finally, revenge on Organization would ensue…that is, if Zexion's plans were that worthwhile. "_Remember, my dear, we mustn't be too suspicious. Therefore, I suggest you act casual when approaching the **little **pest." _Putting down her book, XII huffed, rolling her eyes at the pink haired traitor.

"_Yeah, sure…" _she mumbled, pushing herself away from the table. "_I'll go check up on the shorty."_

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Twilight_** **_Town: Station_**

Sora's gaze was filled with insanity. Here he was, corrupt as ever, pinning one of his closest friends to the ground, without the slightest consent. His unwelcoming, amber eyes dug deep into Donald's very soul, and, for once, the fowl was actually afraid…not just for himself, but Sora as well. Axel was right after all…The Keybearer really HAD lost it! Deep, horrid laughter resonated from within Sora, as he slowly was surrounded by an all too familiar dark aura. "**_Tell me…Where is Roxas?! I know he's here! I can sssssense him…." _**Sora's gloved hands pressed, with great force, against Donald's chest as he pushed his head closer, intending to send fear through his ally.

"He's...he's…" began the frightened fowl, attempting to break free of the Keybearer's grasp with no avail, "he's…with s-someone…from…f-from…" While his comrade shook in Sora's clutches, Goofy could only watch from a distance, as some sort of barrier kept him from coming anywhere near the others. All the while, Donald could not do a single thing about his present situation. Sora, now almost in anti form, was too strong.

"**_Someone from WHAT?" _**demanded the psychotic teenager, smashing the poultry mage into the cement. "**_What did he look like?! When was this?! Darn it, Donald, I need to knoooooooooow!"_** By now, the only thing that distinguished Sora from his Anti state was the fact that his face was still being enveloped by the darkness. Due to the pressure he was using on Donald, he was nearly choking the feathery time bomb. "**_You will tell me…or I will take your heart, Donald. Do you think I WANT to do that? I think you know…You know what to do. So, DO IT!" _**

Weakly, Donald choked, "Red hair…Organization cloak…not long…ago…should be…near the S-sandlot…" Face almost blue due to the lack of oxygen, it was rather obvious that the magician had endured enough. Besides, Sora had gotten the necessary info that he so desired. As much as he wanted another heart, he still managed to kick Donald away. Instantly, the barrier dropped, and Goofy charged towards his companion, as Sora stood, Keyblade in hand, glaring down at the duo. An essence of terror was emitted from his very being.

"**_I'll be back for you later…" _**he spat, ambling down towards the Station Heights. "**_You're lucky I pity you two, or I'd have taken your hearts by now… Heheh…Roxas should have a very tasty heart. I look forward to savoring his precious treasure. Soon, so very soon…" _**While he left, his two comrades both exchanged worrisome glances. Really, were they just going to let him slip by without any objections? In his current state, there was no way that Sora could just be abandoned like that! The only problem was that Donald was rather weak in his current state. But, that aside, there was no reason to just sit and do nothing.

Shaky, Donald managed to push himself up onto his feet, snarling slightly. In truth, he was incredibly upset about what had happened to Sora. Why, it was as if he were totally insane! There had to be a way to stop it, but the only problem was detaining the fifteen year old. Either way, the poultry mage weakly rumbled, "Give me a sec, Goofy. I need to breathe here. THEN, we have to help Sora…AND Roxas!" He stumbled to the ground shortly after, leaving Goofy to catch him. Yes, Donald definitely wasn't in good shape.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**The Sandlot**_

Heartless seemed to be spawning like mad within the usually peaceful sandlot. Several shadows, antennae twitching, pranced about, attempting to steal the hearts of the disciplinary committee. Luckily, Seifer had knowledge of fighting, or else he and his lackeys would have been toast by now. Regardless, the leader of the pack, so to speak, continued to wham his gunblade straight into his foes, causing them to vanish in a puff of shadowy smoke.

Just a few yards away, Axel and Roxas appeared, not expecting the sight before them. Rather, they were simply planning on a casual stroll, but upon spying the countless shadows, both of their faces shifted into rather frustrated glares. Why was it that everything had to be so difficult? All the duo wanted was a leisurely stroll, yet here was another horrid mess to clean up. At least, though, they were at a bit of an advantage with their combined power.

Hastily, the two passed glances, all before summoning their weapons. A gleaming aura surrounded Roxas' right hand, extending to form the shape of the Keyblade, becoming more and more visible by the second. Soon, the silver blade, gleaming in the sunlight along with the golden handle were fully visible. At the same time, Axel thrust both of his arms to the side, as a sudden burst of flames enveloped his hands, forming the shape of two disks. Soon, spiked edges and the red and silver details became apparent. Now with their weapons ready, the two friends leapt forward ready to take on the heartless hordes.

Right as the two companions dove into the masses of shadows, said dark denizens began to strike back, blissfully unaware of their foes' lack of hearts. Their dark physiques met with the end of the Keyblade, along with Axel's twin chakrams within a matter of moments. But, of course, this was not the end of the onslaught. Despite the first few heartless being eliminated by an instant blow, another group lunged themselves straight at Roxas' chest, sending him flying towards the ground as the little buggers dug their claws into his gut. However, this time, as he had experienced heartless more than enough times already, he was well prepared.

_SLASH! SWIPE! _Four shadow heartless made a futile attempt to snatch a heart which the nobody of Sora lacked. At this, Axel instantly turned tail in order to assist his friend. His brow furrowed at the sight of weak little heartless being foolish enough to snatch a nonexistent heart, but, before he could unleash his chakrams, VIII was surprised to see that his bud had already taken care of things. You see, instead of sitting there, waiting for the heartless to move away, he made a simple maneuver involving thrusting the Keyblade straight in an upward direction, breaking though the center of the heartless. Once those pests were taken care of, number XIII was back in the game.

While the duo of nobodies continued their retaliation through the heartless hordes, Seifer was also taking the liberty to defend himself. Of course, being rather headstrong, he took a more direct action, rushing through the crowd, gunblade at the ready. _HACK! GNASH! _With every swing, more and more shadows disintegrated into nothingness. Seifer was seemingly outdoing himself, but the fact remained that he was failing to look behind himself. All the while, Roxas and Axel ganged up on their mindless enemies, using their combined strength to wipe out the little ant-like creatures. First, Axel would thrust his arms forward, sending a barrage of vibrantly colored embers at the heartless. This would ignite several of the shadows, and quite a few were beaten just like that, but those that _were_ left were taken down by Roxas' Kingdom Key soon after.

Watching this impressive display, Seifer shouted, digging his weapon into another shadow, "Heh, not bad, outsiders. And here I thought I was the only one who isn't a chicken wuss." Snickering, he managed to land another blow to a mere shadow that stood before him. Yes indeed, Seifer was on a roll, as were the other two fighters. Roxas himself was actually surprised that he had been given a compliment from someone like the leader of the Disciplinary Committee. Still, at the present time, defeating the heartless was the most important thing, so he continued bursting through the masses with Axel.

Up above, leering down at the group from a distant height, was Sora, still in his Anti Form. His amber eyes, gleaming with enthrallment were fixed upon Roxas' appearance. His anti side wished to tear through and steal the so called treasure within, savoring every bite. Oh how he longed to dig his claws into his chest and rip out what was bound to be a powerful heart. He couldn't help but cackle at the mere notion. However, his true self, buried deep within frowned upon this situation. Sure, he was able to see Roxas in person, but the fact remained that he didn't want to endanger the strange boy from his dreams.

"**_It's funny how a part of me wishes to spare you, Roxas," _**he inquired to himself malevolently, claws digging into the roof in which he perched. "**_No matter…I will see to it that you become my little prey. It's part of my nature. Hehheh…" _**Still eyeing Roxas with keen eyes, the corrupt Keybearer decided to make his move. So, flexing his limbs, he leapt downward, claws at the ready, preparing for what he had hoped to be a very delicious meal. However, it was not Roxas in which he had used to broke his fall. No, on the contrary, Sora ended up landing face first on Seifer's back, causing the gunblade wielder to hit the ground with a great impact.

_BANG! _All at once, the fighting ceased as the Anti Sora made his impact. All that was left of the mere heartless subsided; those creatures, though mindless, knew better than to arouse the anger of such a powerful being. Axel and Roxas, however, did not move an inch. It was just too much to bear, especially for Roxas. In truth, his worst fear had come to pass; Sora was here, just a few inches…and that wasn't the worst of it. No, he was in a corrupt state, meaning things were _bound _to be dangerous.

"**_Roxasssssss…."_**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Traverse_** **_Town_**

Riku heaved a bothered sigh as he paced around in the third district. After his conversation with Mickey, he had decided that, somehow, he was going to help Sora. The only problem was the mere fact that he had no idea _what_ he was going to do to assist his best friend. From what his highness had told him, the Keybearer had become insane and filled with dark energy, making him incredibly dangerous. This concept made him clench his fist ever-so-tightly, as he peered into the distance. Organization XIII, after this little stunt, had passed from his so-so side to his critical zone of infernal hatred. It was bad enough that _he_ had been altered by the shadows.

"Darn it!" he shouted openly, waving his Soul Eater in the air in frustration. He had been pondering rather hard for the last few minutes, and still nothing came to his mind, despite the deep pools of thought in which he had dove straight into. "Why does everything have to be so difficult?!" Oh how irritated he had become. From the looks of things, he was about to blow, metaphorically, of course. Luckily, there was nobody in the immediate area to trigger any unseen aggression.

With nothing to attack, or to take out his rage, all the sixteen year old could do was use the walls within this small area for target practice. First and foremost, he would unleash his dark firaga, sending a purplish blast of flames straight at one of the buildings. Upon making impact, the dark flames vanished, not leaving a single scorch mark. All the same, it proved a useful way for Riku to let go of some steam. For the next few minutes, he kept himself occupied with this little routine, that is, until he heard the sound of footsteps meeting the pavement from behind.

Hearing this sudden resonance, Riku slowly turned around, only to be somewhat awestruck. Standing, just a little over a yard from him, was none other than the Organization's seventh member, namely, Saïx. In his hand was his claymore, spiked and at the ready, showing that the sapphire haired shell of a person wished for violence. Luckily, the moonlight was very scarce, as clouds prevented head on energy, but that did not change the situation. Even if he was unable to go berserk, VII was a formidable opponent_. "Riku, oh how the mighty have fallen,"_ he mused, approaching the teen with a smirk. "_I had no idea you had become so reliant on the darkness. Oh how more interesting things will be. If only I had a heart…then I could truly enjoy this momentous occasion."_

More and more frustration emerged from within Riku's being. His gleaming, yellow eyes narrowed, and he was scarcely able to detain himself from striking head on. In truth, the more time he spent in his darkened state, the less he was able to control his emotions at times. Using moves like dark aura and dark firaga only worsened his condition. Regardless, he spat angrily, "Saïx… just what do you want?!" Obviously, VII wasn't taken aback by Riku's arrogance. Rather, he merely forced pseudo laughter at his 'insolence'.

"_Why Riku,"_ replied the Lunar Diviner in a falsely offended tone, "_you're simply breaking my **heart**." _With this, number seven shifted his expression to a seemingly upset gaze, complete with quivering lip and wide eyes. However, Riku was much more intelligent than that. As opposed to falling for this rouse, he lifted up his soul eater and prepared to take on his foe's challenge with much integrity.

"Liar!" he exclaimed, taking a few steps backwards, gleaming with sternness, "you don't even have a heart!" At any given moment, he would unleash his gathered anger, giving the moon loving nobody something to fear, with or without a heart. Saïx too was prepared, as he had been for several minutes. Upon seeing Riku move backwards, sword drawn, he knew well that it was time to strike, and now, the crescent of the moon was no longer hidden behind the pillows above known as clouds. And so, a battle was due to begin, one using the power of the moon, and the other, darkness. Both figures charged forth.

_WHAM! _Saïx was first to strike, slamming his claymore straight onto the pavement with a howl of fury. The resulting was a huge, silvery wave of energy, spreading throughout the district. Riku barely managed to dodge this little onslaught by dodge-rolling to the side. However, the Diviner did not quit there. On the contrary, he rapidly swung his weapon straight into the ground, causing more and more shock waves, many of which Riku was unable to evade. _ZING! _The teenager was sent flying towards a brick wall, an immense amount of agony spreading through his veins. _KAWHOOSH! _Even more shock waves were sent forth, making the splintering torture reach an all time high.

For a split second the pain subsided, as Saïx stopped to gather his lunar energy. His claymore lie on the ground, while the lunar being himself panted with much exhaustion. Although considerably weak, Riku took this time to rush straight at Saïx, thrusting his wing-shaped weapon straight into his chest. Unable to defend himself, VII took each blow head on, growling at the sting of the shadowed blade. _CHING! CHANG! _About five blows were delivered before Saïx abruptly shoved Riku forward, as the pale moonlight up above sunk into his very skin. The silver haired teenager instantly knew that this meant more berserk action, which certainly wouldn't be pretty. Nonetheless, he decided to take a more evasive approach.

_SLAM! WHOOSH! _Again and again, shock waves formed, as the now berserk Lunar Diviner did his dance of death. The sheer fury being released within made it seem that the concept of nobodies lacking feelings was mere myth. Regardless, the power which was released was simply incredible, to say the least. However, this time, Riku was alert. With each impact, he either dodge-rolled to the side, making sure to avoid being blasted by another dangerous wave, or to simply leap out of the way. All the while, the sixteen year old was gathering power at an extreme rate, especially due to his darkened status.

After another while, VII came to another pause, as his energy became low in concentration. He clutched onto his weapon as tight as he could, but that did not change the fact that he was unable to unleash his incredible strength without a cost. Regardless, Riku once again prepared to unleash his wrath, darting forth, hands glowing with a purplish white gleam. When he came close enough, dark firaga was unleashed, finally able to scorch a living target. Shadowed flames seared the seventh member's cloak, causing him to wince, longing for the energy of the moon to quench his thirst for strength. Oh, but Riku wasn't even done yet. _STAB!!!! _Again, Sora's closest friend impaled Saïx right in the gut, this time knocking him backwards…only, by doing so, he allowed the nobody to soak in some more moonlit energy.

"_RAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!"_ This wasn't good…Saïx seemed to be gaining more power than usual. As the light from above shone into his being, his form contorted; back arching, pupils increasing in size; he clearly looked like a maniacal beast! His yellowed eyes looked like mere slits, and his face was twisted into a vicious grimace as he leapt upwards, claymore clenched tightly within his clutches. Riku had to react fast in order to avoid being mauled from above by a very overpowered Lunar Diviner. _WHISH! _VII dove towards the pavement, his weapon smashing against the ground with far more integrity than before! Even though Riku had rolled to the side, he could still feel the immense quivering from below.

With each shake, each blow, he too had a secret power from within rising. Despite his constant dodging, there were still times where the spiked end of the claymore would meet his own being, sending sharp, stinging sensations through his body, while his strength began to grow. Riku could feel the pulsing from his own heart, the temptation of the dark growing with each passing second, as he continued to fight off Saïx's wrath. Even upon letting out some steam, so to speak, from piercing him in the gut, he could not stop it. Soon, he would have to unleash this power, for his own sake.

A few more minutes of fighting passed before Riku could no longer detain himself. Once more, Saïx was using his berserk moves when the silver haired teenager unleashed the true potential which was once suppressed deep in the bowels of his darkened heart. His cloaked form began to illuminate with an eerie presence, as an expression of rage overtook him. He pulled out his weapon, and prepare to strike. It was when VII came rushing straight at him that the true Keyblade master rose up into the air, only to dive down at him from behind, Soul Eater aimed straight forward. With a rapid thrust, the Lunar Diviner was flung forwards, crashing straight into a wall, but this retaliation did not end there. No, he struck back a second, time, knocking him up into the air, while his blade cut against his chest a third, and then a fourth time. This rapid technique came to a close when the teenager shot vibrant, bluish blasts from beneath the pavement.

Saïx fell right to his knees, that is, once he had safely made it to the ground. His very breathing was rash and uneven, and even his complexion showed defeated, as it was pale in tone, sweat beads trickling down like raindrops reaching down from the sky. Weakly, he dismissed his weapon, knowing that any more violence would surely lead to his demise. At this, Riku merely smirked, watching the so called second hand man of Xemnas disappear within the corridor of darkness in which all nobodies used to get about. Before totally vanishing, though, he bellowed, "_I'd watch yourself, Riku…even you cannot escape your inner darkness."_

With that, number seven of the Organization vanished from sight, leaving Riku all on his own once more. It was only a few seconds after that he felt an intense pressure from his heart. It was as if hundreds of daggers were piercing him on the inside, each going deeper and deeper, unleashing a massive amount of agony. He could barely keep his yellowed eyes open; the stinging felt like a wave of torment tearing him up from the inside out. It was while the twinge, he began to choke, a strange dark liquid dripping from his mouth. During all this madness, though, he failed to see a certain three-foot tall rodent heading his way. No, what caught his attention was an all too familiar voice echoing in the bowels of his heart.

**_That's right, Riku, _**it snarled, **_become one with the darkness. Surrender yourself to me, become my vessel! _**

Upon reaching Riku, the mouse king instantly shouted, "Riku! Control yourself!" Still, the boy was too absorbed in this sharp stinging in his core. He was just barely clinging onto consciousness, as after using the Dark Aura, he didn't have much strength. Regardless, Mickey remained by his side placating him. "Gosh, Riku…you gotta be careful." Fortunately, he was able to force a nod, all before spitting out more of the strange, bubbling purple ooze.

"Y-yeah…" he muttered in between gags. "But I'll be…erp… fine…"

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Beast's Castle**_

Zexion wore a content grin, as he looked over his slip of paper once more. His keen, sharp eyes observed every last word he had penned, making sure he did not miss a single detail. Whatever it was he had up his sleeves, it was certain to be cunning and a big surprise, to say the least. Regardless, here he was, enjoying the silence in which the halls offered. With Larxene supposedly handling the Beast, and Marluxia dealing with torture for the once escaped prisoners, the Cloaked Schemer had plenty of time on his own, or rather, it seemed that way. However, VI was blissfully unaware that he was being watched…

_What's with him? _Larxene thought, peering around the corner at her ally. Ever since the mission had started, Zexion had always been rather unusual. It was almost as if he had totally changed from his once loyal, rather dull self. As of now, he was far more sinister than ever before, not to mention that he seemed to react more to situations in which the average nobody did not. As of now, the Savage Nymph was just as curious as her traitorous comrade, Marluxia, when it came to VI and his plotting.

Finally, she stepped out from her hiding place, bearing a stern grimace, as she stepped towards Zexion, kunai in hands. She _was_ going to get some straight answers from him, whether he liked it or not. Even if it meant resorting to harsh torture, it didn't matter. She couldn't really feel pity or mercy, as it was. Of course, right as she stepped forward, VI about-faced, rather unsurprised of the sadist's presence. As of late, she was rather nosy, not to mention that he could sense things via scent. So, sniggering slightly, he mused, "_Why, Larxene, what brings you here? Should you not be tampering with the Beast's emotions?"_

"_Yeah, well," _she spat in response, "_I already took care of that oversized carpet, FYI." _It was plain to see that Larxene was far from entertained by this whole situation. You could say that her curiosity had gotten the best of her, not to mention that her loyalties with the "Flower Boy" also had pushed her forward in her interrogation. Not that Zexion was surprised. He merely kept his broad grin at XII as she continued, "_Now, look, shorty, I'm just about fed up with this. You **will** tell me what's wrong with you, not to mention your plan, or I **will** chain you to the wall and give you the worst experience in your worthless little life. Don't underestimate me, Zexion. I mean it."_

Tossing aside his rather lengthy bangs, the Cloak Schemer merely retorted, "_Why, Larxene, I'm simply appalled by your lack of faith in me. You know very well that you must earn my trust…and yet, you still question my motives?" _He then took a moment to push back his sleeves before continuing, "_As for what's 'wrong' with me, it's nothing. I fail to see where you are getting all these assumptions. Perhaps Marluxia has proven a rather poor influence on your part." _

This constant denial was rather bothersome, even to a nobody such as Larxene. It was blatantly obvious that Zexion was hiding something, otherwise he would have admitted things already. Oh yes, the Cloaked Schemer had a bunch of juicy secrets concealed; ones which kept on pulling Larxene and Marluxia more into his clutches. The sheer fact that XII's next movement was nothing short of a sudden jump towards Zex proved that she was serious about this fascination. Yes, here she stood, pressing the Cloaked Schemer to the wall, peering straight into his eyes. "_Look," _she hissed, increasing the pressure against his being, "_I'm not playing games. You'd better talk, or I'll stick every last kunai of mine into your midgety self until you squeal. I may not have real emotions, but that won't stop me from enjoying every minute of this. You got that?" _

Rolling his eyes in discontent, Zexion replied, "_Try as you might, I am not intimidated by your reckless actions…Regardless, go ahead and humor me. I'm eager to know what is 'wrong' with my current behavior…"_

**End of Chapter**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**AN: **Woo, so I know the fight with Saïx isn't totally like the one in the game, but that's because he was holding back on Riku. Wait til the NEXT time he gets into battle. THAT will be very…actiony. Also, there's a reason why Zexion is scheming and using the Organization as pawns. All that will be revealed as this plot goes on, but there are some surprises planned with him. ;) Anyway, please read and review, as I love opinions!


	18. Crisis and Even MORE Revelations

Whoa. Sure took me a while to update, huh? Well, I was kinda busy with school and had a block, but I'm NOT dead, so here ya go!

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**Chapter 15: Crisis and Even More Revelations**

_Up above, leering down at the group from a distant height, was Sora, still in his Anti Form. His amber eyes, gleaming with enthrallment were fixed upon Roxas' appearance. His anti side wished to tear through and steal the so called treasure within, savoring every bite. Oh how he longed to dig his claws into his chest and rip out what was bound to be a powerful heart. He couldn't help but cackle at the mere notion. However, his true self, buried deep within frowned upon this situation. Sure, he was able to see Roxas in person, but the fact remained that he didn't want to endanger the strange boy from his dreams._

"_**It's funny how a part of me wishes to spare you, Roxas," **he inquired to himself malevolently, claws digging into the roof in which he perched. "**No matter…I will see to it that you become my little prey. It's part of my nature. Hehheh…" **Still eying Roxas with keen eyes, the corrupt Keybearer decided to make his move. So, flexing his limbs, he leapt downward, claws at the ready, preparing for what he had hoped to be a very delicious meal. However, it was not Roxas in which he had used to break his fall. No, on the contrary, Sora ended up landing face first on Seifer's back, causing the gunblade wielder to hit the ground with a great impact._

_BANG! All at once, the fighting ceased as the Anti Sora made his impact. All that was left of the mere heartless subsided; those creatures, though mindless, knew better than to arouse the anger of such a powerful being. Axel and Roxas, however, did not move an inch. It was just too much to bear, especially for Roxas. In truth, his worst fear had come to pass; Sora was here, just a few inches…and that wasn't the worst of it. No, he was in a corrupt state, meaning things were bound to be dangerous._

"**_Roxasssssss…."_**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

After all he had gone through over the past few days, after each experience, it seemed as if Roxas had been getting farther and farther from his fears. By world hopping, he had hoped to find a place in which he could lay low so he wouldn't have to fret when it came to his other. Even upon meeting up with Donald and Goofy, the fifteen year old had hopes of slinking away, especially after being reunited with Axel. However, things didn't always go according to plan, and this was no exception. No, instead of being home free, far from Sora, the nobody and his comrade found themselves face-to-face with the horrid sight themselves. All the boy could do was stare, eyes open wide, as he and Axel contemplated over what to do next.

All the while, Sora's gaze was never far from Roxas' visage. His golden orbs, otherwise known as eyes, were fixed on the nobody's very being. His back was arched, ready to strike, while his claws reached forward. Had his facial features been visible, a blatant smirk would be clearly plastered upon his mug, all due to this victory of sorts. "**_Hehheh…" _**he exclaimed, his voice sounding like a mixture of laughter and growling all at once, "**_Roxas…come here…I've always wanted to meet you." _**At this the blonde haired teenager stepped backwards slightly, trying his very best to pull his eyes away from the wretched sight before him. The only problem was that Sora's eyes were very mystifying, almost as hypnotic as those of a serpent. Merely shrugging this off was surely difficult.

Axel, on the other hand, wasn't as easily attracted to this gaze. Perhaps it was because of his higher level of maturity, or maybe because he was farther from being whole than his friend, regardless, Sora's little attempt at being fearsome was less than amusing for number VIII. Instead of being taken aback, he simply held on tight to his chakrams, just in case of a sudden strike. Turning his slender head towards Roxas, he muttered, "Watch it, kiddo. Just because he's your other doesn't mean you should back down. Got it memorized? It's either him or us, kid, and if ya ask me, I'd rather live through this." Roxas nodded, though he wasn't too thrilled all the same. If he and Axel had left right away, they would've been just fine…but, on the other hand, doing so would have been rather selfish. Naminé had told him to head down the right path, in hopes of making a better impression of nobodies, anyway, and so far, he wasn't doing so well.

There wasn't really a choice, truth be told. If the nobody remained passive, it was likely that he would be defeated by Sora's darkened state with little effort. As opposed to mere heartless, Anti Sora was just as strong, if not stronger, than his normal self, which means there was a possibility of him possessing far more strength than even Roxas could withhold. Yet, there the corrupt teenager sat, staring straight at the two former Organization members, awaiting a response. Of course, Roxas would be sure to deliver one alright, though, it wasn't exactly going to be good for his other. Stepping back slightly, the blonde prepared to rush into combat, as did Axel, who still held is chakrams tightly in his grasp. However, this time, things would be a little…different.

"**_Roxassss," _**Sora spat, not really amused by the actions of his foes, "**_I thought we could be friends…ROXAS. Why are you being so stubborn?!" _**He let out a deep growl at that, lowering himself into a pouncing position, his spiky head just inches above the pavement. Even his claws tingled with excitement, though, admittedly, Seifer wasn't too pleased by the sensation of being scratched constantly as the darkened Keybearer readied himself even more than before**_. "If you want to fight me, you will lose. Do you really want that to happen, Roxas? Oh well, I was going to take your heart anyway…" _**With that, he charged forward, his body moving at a rapid pace.

At the same time, Roxas, too, was ready. In a split second, both of his hands were surrounded by a gleaming, all to familiar aura, taking form of not just one, but two Keyblades. That's right, this time he was going to use Oathkeeper and Oblivion. Roxas didn't really allow Sora a chance to dive at him. Right as the heartless-like teenager was in his midst, the golden haired nobody swiftly dodge rolled to the side, right as Axel tossed one of his spiked chakrams. The weapon just so happened to hit Sora directly on his posterior, sending him flying forwards, all while yelping in pain. He landed safely on the ground seconds after, sphere-shaped eyes burning with an intense anger. How dare they attempt to double team on him?!

Both Roxas and Axel briskly made their way towards the vicious shadow that once was Sora. What they were doing, to be precise, was attempting to corner him, so they could knock him out. It wasn't like they _wanted_ to destroy him, after all. Sora's immediate response to this was much like that of a feline. His body was arched, as he slowly crept backwards on all fours, snarling at his attackers. If they got too close, he would surely strike back. Roxas still wasn't going to back down, however, and so it was _his_ turn to have some fun. He instantly began to twirl both Keyblades while running right at the dangerous half of himself, while Axel threw both of his spiked weapons forward. Sora sensed this, though, and he attempted to make this little maneuver backfire.

_CHANG! CLINK! _As a first back-attack, he thrust himself forward, twirling in the air, as the Chakrams came closer and closer. Both disks were blazing red hot and ready to deliver some painful second degree burns. But, sadly, right before they could deliver damage, the Keybearer summoned his weapon at the last minute, deflecting both disks right towards Roxas. Said teen was too preoccupied with his assault to notice this until the items themselves made contact with his chest, filling his gut with that familiar burning feeling which he had experienced several times by now. Each little flame singed his gut with no remorse. However, that was not all this deflection caused. Rather, the teen found himself flying backwards, right into Axel's chest before the two of them landed smack against the wall.

Upon landing on the rocky cement, Sora could only laugh at the sight before him. "**_I admit," _**he cackled, stepping backwards ever so slightly, "**_you're pretty tough. My dreams proved that…but, the thing is, you, my friend, are an idiot. Not my problem, though." _**The pressure which led to both nobodies being hurled against the wall was so immense, that the only response Roxas could give was a moan. Whatever had happened to Sora definitely wasn't pretty, and MAN did he pack a punch! Of course, to Sora, this was all pure entertainment to tie him over until he could capture the heart which didn't even exist. He shook his shadowy head at this display before adding, "**_I don't care about you, Roxas…no…" _**and it was then that he grabbed onto his Keyblade with both of his hands, "**_I just want your heart!" _**Again he charged, though, this time he wasn't as speedy, due to only moving on two of his legs as opposed to four. Still, the strength of the Keyblade easily made up for this handicap.

Axel's eyes instantly widened, as his vision cleared. Sora was heading his way, ready to deliver a hardy blow onto his closest compadre. The only thing he could do was shove Roxas out of the way, mostly out of pure impulse, in order to keep him out of range. Of course, in the process, he ended up right in Sora's path, and thus, felt the painful blow delivered right into his being. _WHAM! _The Keyblade struck hard, causing VIII to gag at the pressure. Luckily, Roxas HAD been spared this pain, though, and that was all that really mattered to Axel. Sora, on the other hand, was not as pleased. In his frustration at the hot head, he was sure to give said pyromaniac a hard shove against the wall. Following this, he lifted his Keyblade and slapped it against Axel's head, leading to unconsciousness. It was then that he turned his attention back to his prime target.

"Axel!" Roxas winced, as he lifted himself back to his feet. Not only did he still hurt in the chest from that chakram assault, but being thrown to the side by Axel didn't really make things any better. Still, there was no sense in backing down, as Sora was clearly determined to steal what he could not give. Plus, he injured his friend, which was a big fat NO. Keyblades in hand, XIII took a dive at Sora, who abruptly turned to his opponent and held out his Keyblade in an attempt to block. This move managed to deflect one of Roxas' weapons, but the teen pressed on, attempting to knock Sora, who was managing to hold up rather well, to the ground. Likewise, the rather psychotic Keybearer longed to disarm his foe. The task wouldn't be a simple one, though, as both had incredible strength.

"Sora," Roxas growled, still learning forward with all his strength, "c'mon, even I know this isn't like you! You're letting the darkness control you, for crying out loud!" For once, he was actually trying to _help_ Sora, as opposed to merely running away, but what choice did he have? In his Anti Form, he would probably go as far as DESTROYING him upon finding that he didn't have a heart. Besides, there just had to be an ounce of Sora left in his heart, it only made sense! The only problem was, the Anti was dominant, and he was tough. That and he kinda was making things difficult for the Key of Destiny to stay on his feet.

"**_I'll do as I please, Roxas!" _**snapped the darkened combatant, attempting to apply even more force than before, "**_I just want your heart. Is that too much to ask? REALLY?!" _**His strength seemed to increase, as he continued this stance, trying his hardest to weaken Roxas. Because of his current form, he was holding up far better than he would against a dual wielder in normal circumstances, though that did not change the fact that the two were evenly matched. In reality, he feared that he would be the first to fall. His mind quickly dwelled on ways to take down his enemy with little effort, but he didn't exactly have any avail, that is, until he decided the only decent maneuver…

_CRASH! _Sora did the only thing he could think of, given the present state of affairs. Instead of continuing to block his opponent's weapons, he merely sidestepped, catching Roxas unawares. This resulted in him landing face down on the pavement, before being grabbed by collar of his jacket and lifted up to where Sora could stare him straight in the eyes. "**_Now then," _**he hissed, pulling his nobody closer, "**_Where were we?" _**With one hand, he held Roxas, who did attempt to struggle, in place, refusing to get go. Despite his nobody's attempts of breaking free, he could not relinquish the grasp of the heartless-like being. Now, with his other hand, Sora reached for Roxas' chest, stroking it with his claws. This sent a strange, chilling feeling into number XIII, who suddenly stopped resisting. His body became still, as if it were in a trance, and even his eyes looked dull.

"**_Yessss…" _**Sora's grip on his chest tightened, as he dug his claws into the area right where a heart would be…if he had one, that is. He could already taste his ideal heart within his mind, scrumptious, savory, and sweet. The idea of it merely made him ecstatic. Sadly, when his hand finally seeped into Roxas' core, he did not find what he had searched for. There was not even a shriveled up heart in store for the corrupt one. Instead, he found nothing, absolutely nothing. Disappointment instantly replaced the confidence from before. Roxas had no heart. At least, none that he could see. Due to this, he instantly recoiled, making sure to give the bringer of his disappointment a firm kick in the chest in the process. "**_You…you're…a nobody!"_**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Beast's Castle**_

Rolling her eyes, Larxene snarled, "_Well, genius, for one, I **know** you're planning something, and from the looks of it, it's definitely not going to help the Organization. You know what's wrong with that picture?" _Smirking, Zexion shook his head, as if to look utterly innocent. He was eager to here Larxene's opinions, especially since she seemed so intent on finding out his every motive, not that it didn't surprise him. Still, Larx didn't exactly enjoy associating herself with…with such a freak. "_For your information," _she added, rather aggressively, "_last time I checked, you were the one who was always ranting about the Organization being some form of unit, or whatever. Yet, here you are, plotting some ridiculous scheme that I KNOW will only benefit for you. Tell me, now, why this is."_

Stepping aside, the Cloaked Schemer replied, "_You are more intelligent than I had assumed, I will give you that. Indeed, I was one of the most passionate, loyal members of Organization XIII. **Was.** But, I will tell you straight up that my experiences during my year of absence have given me a change of hear, so to speak Heheh…" _Confusion filled Larxene, who knew not of Zexion's experiences during his disappearance, nor did she really even know much of it to begin with. Regardless, the Cloaked Schemer was rather entertained, despite her distrust among other things.

"_Look, Zex," _she grumbled at her ally, irate as a nobody could be, "_I don't have time for riddles. Just tell me what you're up to, ok? You're really getting on my nerves, and, believe me; you do **not** want to end up on the end of my kunai." _Already XII's visage was nothing short of a mere grimace, displaying her vicious side. She clearly did not wish to play any games with Zexion, though one couldn't exactly say that the feeling was mutual. Why, he simply stood there, waving his finger about with a mischievous expression, as if he actually enjoyed taunting his fellow Organization member.

"_You see," _he said humbly, "_this is all the reason why you should earn my trust, Larxene. That way you are certain to get a straight answer as opposed to my tedious hints. And, honestly, I'm not afraid of your little death threats, XII…" _and it was here that his face shifted to a rather sinister gaze, complete with toothy smirk and narrowed eyes, "_and it's not because I supposedly lack the ability to fear. No, it's because, frankly, I know you won't harm me if you truly wish to know what I'm up to." _ Larxene then ceased in her aggression. Her mask of terror became a rather disappointed visage, and she merely shrugged. Zexion did have a point. If she wanted answers so bad, harming him wouldn't do a thing. Actually, it would likely give him more reason to conceal his secrets.

Despite her stubborn, sadistic personality, Larxene did know when to keep her mouth shut. If she had a heart, though, she would surely be enraged by Zexion's antics, if not ready to explode from frustration. Growling, she replied to Zex's little taunt, "_Fine, shorty, you win. I'll go easy on you…for now, but you better not be making this up, or I WILL destroy you myself. I **always** have time for some cold, hard, torture, kiddo." _Zexion merely snickered before simply turning away from the twelfth member. Seemingly, he felt that he had bickered enough with the Savage Nymph, and that returning to his pondering would be a wise plan of action. In fact, he had already began walking further down the hallway when a sudden thought interrupted him. At this, he froze in place.

"_Larxene," _he muttered, his view fixed towards the ground, "_do you remember Vexen's replica?" _Due to this surprising question, XII couldn't help but feel rather baffled. To her, him bringing up the Riku Replica was a rather pointless notion, not to mention weird, to say the least. But, on the other hand, that was Zexion for you: as mysterious as it gets at times, but also just plain stubborn.

Cocking her head to the side, she responded, "_Yeah, but what's so important about that thing? It's dead, anyway…" _ At this, Zexion rolled his eyes.

"_It's just," _said the Cloaked Schemer plainly, "_isn't it rather ironic? Vexen's little creation was far more complete than our whole Organization combined. It's deplorable how cruel that little notion is…wouldn't you agree?" _Following his statement, he sighed deeply, stepping forward a little bit more, ready to disappear into the shadowed depths of the castle at any given moment. Larxene merely scoffed at this, having no idea why Zexion needed to bring that up in the first place. Was there really any purpose of bringing up what was already apparent?

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_WHAM! _Roxas' once again was thrown towards the bricked walls of the sandlot, by a furious Sora, no less. This had been occurring several times since the failure of the heart theft, and yet there was nothing to cease this madness. Continuously, the Keybearer had repeated the same process in his frustration, trying to think of another excuse for why the theft had failed so. After all, it wouldn't make sense if Roxas were a nobody, right? If he were, then he'd be part of the Organization, quite possibly. Of course, to Roxas, this was inevitable. Already he had experienced attempt heart stealing from heartless, such as mere shadows, or even Cerberus. This was nothing new to him.

"**_You can't be a nobody!" _**shouted the enraged Anti Sora, charging towards his counterpart once more. "**_No…there's gotta be another reason…yeah…that's it! Your heart must be stronger than the others…yes…YES. All the better reason to take it!" _**It was blissfully apparent that he was not willing to give up in this heart hunt. In fact, due to his darkened state, and his curiosity, there would be no convincing Sora to stop this vicious assault. In fury, he darted towards the organish walls, where Roxas lay, breathing heavily due to the constant onslaught. Just a few yards away from him was the still unconscious Axel, his cloak tossed askew, as his crimson colored locks were matted all over. Though, VIII mattered little to the heartless-like teenager at the present moment, and thus, he focused on his current goal.

As Sora came closer, Roxas' weakly slid to the side, barely lifting his body upwards. Sadly, he was too slow to avoid being grasped by the leg and pulled down to the ground, his ocean blue eyes locked with the amber ones of Sora. Oh, but he tried to fight back, jerking his body in a futile attempt of freedom, but the strength of the darkness gave the Keybearer an advantage over his nobody. "**_Give me it…I KNOW YOU HAVE A HEART!" _**he spat, reaching for Roxas' neck. "**_I don't want to hurt you…I just want to savor that weak little organ… Oh, you won't DIE…you'll just be a heartless and a nobody…"_**

"I-I can't…" Roxas hissed, jerking back somewhat, causing Sora's grip to loosen. "And even if I could…I wouldn't even consider it, _Sora." _All this back-talking merely sparked more of Sora's anger, which led to, of course, him lifting up the blonde again. But, this time, he wasn't going to get away with tossing him like a Frisbee. Despite being weak, the former resident of Twilight Town was getting incredibly bored of being thrown about. So, right when Sora was about to thrust him, he barely managed to kick him in the shin, the sudden nature of this giving him no time to counter, not to mention causing him to lose his grip.

Just a few yards away, Donald and Goofy stood, with their weapons in hand. Just as they had said, they had arrived to assist Roxas and Sora, but, from the looks of things, the whole situation was way out of hand. Both of them stood there, equally awestruck, as the battle commenced. The worst part is, due to the unconscious bodies of both Axel and Seifer, not to mention the injured Roxas; this was surely more than a mere cat fight. Heck, the whole gruesome onslaught was too much for one to simply stand there and do nothing!

"Gawrsh!" Goofy shouted, his eyes beaming in shock, "We gotta do somethin', Donald!" At this, the fowl simply nodded in approval, holding his staff forward. His brow was firm, showing much concentration, as he surveyed the scene. Surely a sudden strike would do no good, considering that Sora would likely catch on if they weren't careful. The castle defender also was rather wary of a head on strike, as that never did seem to work. Yes, another plan of action would certainly be required if the duo were to prove of any help in this huge chaotic mess.

At the same time, Roxas was barely fending off his opponent with his dual weapons. Beads of sweat trickled down his visage, as the tired teen attempted to keep his footing against this darkened fiend of a Keybearer. _CLANG! _The Kingdom Key struck hard against the handle of the Oathkeeper, which Roxas had just barely managed to hold in front of himself in order to shield his foe's weapon. Cringing, he tried to push Sora backwards, but with his lack of strength, the effort was clearly in vein. Why, the shadowed teenager simply had to give a hard push to send Roxas hurtling back a few feet.

"**_Give up already," _**Sora snarled, stepping towards his blonde haired counterpart. "**_I'm getting tired of this. Just give me your heart!" _**Already he had grown rather tired of this monotonous task of fighting a foe who seemingly was being rather stubborn. Then again, he was too fearful to admit that Roxas might indeed be a nobody. _Roxas, who are you? _his true self pondered, as he drew closer, his form now looming over the crouching nobody who was gasping for breath. Glaring deep into his pools of blue, Sora lowered the Keyblade down to Roxas' neck and hissed.

Donald aimed his staff in Sora's direction, one sky blue eye closed in order to give him better aim. With the sudden maneuver he was planning, accuracy was key, considering he did not wish to accidentally harm Roxas or any others who might be in the nearby area. Once he was certain that his aim was accurate, the poultry mage began to mutter his spell under his breath, while the tip of his want began to glow in a faint blue aura, very much like the chilly ice in which he was planning to unleash. Right as he was about to unleash the blast, he muttered under his breath, "Ready, Goofy?"

Of course, Goofy's short response was nothing short of a "You betcha! A-hyuck!" In fact, he was all set to go, what with his shield still held up front to prepare for a charge. So, seeing this, Donald released the spell in a flash. The cold, chilling blast rocketed forward at a brisk pace, a complete surprise to Sora, who was in the midst of dealing with his nobody. Why, by the time he had noticed this sudden attack, he had no time to react, as the frozen water enveloped his entire body, from his shoes up to his spiky hair. Crystals began to overtake his very form, creating a thick coating, much like a jeweled case, preventing him from moving. He attempted to break loose, but at the pace he was being swallowed, so to speak, it was rather futile. Yes, Donald's blizzard spell had done wonders, at least for the time being.

A smug grin spread across Donald's beak as he surveyed the sight below, once more. Being a skilled magician, though, such a task was no problem for the feathery time bomb. After he was sure things were alright, he whirled around to his ally and exclaimed, "Let's go, Goofy! Who knows how long this'll hold him?" It was true that the spell was only a temporary thing; both Donald and Goofy well knew of this. After all, it would take a mastermind at magic to make such a curse last more than a few minutes, really. Knowing this, the defender gave a nod before taking off in a downward direction. Why, Donald didn't even get a second chance to think things over before darting behind his comrade.

It didn't take long for the duo to reach the sandlot. After all, they weren't exactly a great distance from it, such as being back at the station still. Besides, despite their rather unusual looks, they were pretty good runners when they put their minds to it. Luckily, when t hey reached Sora, his body was still encased within ice, thanks to the fowl's expertise, otherwise, it was likely that the two of them, and Roxas, would be in another battle. Speaking of the Key of Destiny, he was just barely able to stand; luckily the Keyblade made a tool to prop himself, up though. Upon seeing his other's two allies, he gave a weak smile, glad to see that he and Axel, who was still unconscious, wouldn't have to take on the pest by themselves.

"I-I was wondering," moaned XIII softly, "when you guys would show up… Axel and I just didn't cut it, I guess. Heh. Kinda funny…" He gave a slight cough before limping over towards the two anthromorphic animals. However, he was expecting them to give him rather frustrated glares, due to his running off, only to find that they…smiled. Yep, both of them looked equally happy to see Roxas, despite their suspicions. Though he wondered why, the blondey DID have to admit that this was a relief, considering that, being Sora's friends, they would be the first to reveal anything unusual upon him returning to his true self.

Now, Goofy was the first to respond to Roxas, chortling, "Gee Roxas, what happened to ya?" The immediate response to this question was a slight frown from Roxas, who wasn't exactly thrilled in being interrogated on the whole situation. Heck, he remained perfectly quiet until Donald too gave him a curious glance. Yeah, this wasn't exactly going to be easy…

"I guess Sora wanted to take my…heart…" he replied, cringing at the thought of his lack of completion, "but when I didn't exactly give him what he wanted, he sorta went berserk, and you can probably guess the rest…" He would have revealed more, but the thing is, there was that slight risk of revealing that he was indeed a nobody, and that wasn't exactly on his agenda, to say the least. Fortunately, Donald and Goofy both gave approving nods, not showing any signs of suspicion among other things. Rather, they were their usual selves, albeit a tad concerned for their friend who was still encased in ice.

Donald sighed, "Well, we're still a bit confused about why you ran off like that, but at least you're ok… But, we should really hurry. Sora's not gonna stay like this, y'know." Roxas nodded, calling back his dual weapons in a flash. There was no real need to keep fighting now, since Sora was down for the count. "By the way," added the poultry mage, waddling towards the block of ice which encased the Keybearer, "don't think we're gonna let you and your friend run off like that. Sora's still in trouble, and we're gonna need all the help we can get. Okay?"

"Yeah," said the Key of Destiny in a hushed tone, "my bad. It's just…if you knew what I've been through, you'd understand. The thing is, I'm not exactly too thrilled to tell my life story… But, anyway, I guess Axel and I could stick around for a bit." From the looks of things, there really wasn't a way out of this. With the two lackeys of King Mickey insisting that Roxas tagged along, there really was no way out…though, it was likely that Axel wasn't going to be so thrilled about it. Still, it was enough to light up the faces of Sora's companions, especially Goofy, who stepped closer to Roxas.

"Ya know," he explained, rubbing his nose, "ya don't have ta be afraid of us. Why, we just wanna help Sora, a-hyuck!" Donald then pushed Goofy aside slightly, looking a LITTLE stern. He obviously felt a tad annoyed by his ally.

"Yeah," he added, rolling his eyes. "Besides, what harm could a palooka like Goofy do? He can't even tie his own shoes, let alone hurt anything that isn't black, yellow, and made of darkness! He's a softy!" Roxas' initial response was a smirk, and a slight snicker. Though he hated to admit it, these two weren't all that bad. Heck, he could see why Sora got along with them so well, despite their weirdness. "Anyway," Donald added, pulling out his staff, "this spell's about to wear off, but I think that a sleeping spell will hold him a bit longer. That way we can take him somewhere safe, like Hollow Bastion."

Shrugging, Roxas replied, "I guess that'd work… It's better if he's asleep anyway. Eh, but don't mind me. I guess I'm just a little stressed, that's all." Clearly painted across his mug was a slight frown, as he stood, looking towards the friends of his other side. To think that they were being so nice…to someone like him was just a bit surprising. Then again, they were clueless, which was for the better.

"Well, anyway," intruded the featherbag, "this'll only take a second. Then we should probably head back to Hollow Bastion. You can make another one of those portals, right?" Roxas nodded, keeping the same apathetic expression. "Well, that's good, since it'd be a waste of time to go all the way back to the Gummi, if it's even there. Besides, Cid can probably set us up with a new one, like he did before." When Roxas merely gave a nod of approval, the fowl wandered towards Sora, who, unsurprisingly was starting to thaw. Already, the crystals around his feet were no more, and the rest of the chilly H2O was starting to vanish as well. With a sigh, Donald pointed his mage staff at the Keybearer's body, a faint green glow forming around its brownish tip, all before he unleashed the sleep spell. "This should do it for now, at least…"

Now, Roxas would have readied a portal and all, but the sound of a faint rustle from behind sort of distracted him. Curious, he whirled around, only to find Axel leaning against the wall, attempting to keep his balance after the "wild ride" Sora had put him through. Upon seeing the others, he snickered, "Well, looks like the gang's all here, eh? Took ya long enough. But really, you'd think the king's lackeys would be a bit quicker. Got it memorized?" A bit unbalanced, he pushed himself away from the sunset colored bricks and pressed towards the trio before him. Donald merely frowned, while Goofy gave a clueless glance to VIII.

"Look, wise guy," snapped the snow white bird, adjusting his zipper-clad hat, "I don't like ya, and I doubt Goofy does either. You look like one of those Organization XIII guys…but, if you're a friend of Roxas, I GUESS we can trust ya, for now. But, try anything, and I swear…!" Axel rolled his eyes at the flustered fowl's temperamental behavior. He failed to see how anyone could tolerate him.

He shook his head and explained, "Fine, fine. I'll 'play nice'… but only because it looks like Roxas isn't getting outta this one. But, don't expect us to hang around after you get your dinky little Keybearer back. We've got places to go, things to see. Capiche?" Grumbling, Donald forced himself to approve with this, albeit reluctantly. For whatever reason, there was just this itching feeling in his mind that Axel wasn't to be trusted. Goofy felt it too, but, being who he is, he didn't mind as much.

"Whatever," squawked the flustered poultry magician, tapping his large, webbed foot. "Anyway, I'm sick of all this talkin'. Roxas, can you hurry up, so we can get outta here?" Nodding, XIII reached out his hand, as a purplish aura surrounded it. He concentrated fully, as the portal formed from the ground up, looking like the same old doorway into the unknown as before. Luckily, he knew how to control these corridors of darkness now, or else it would be rather difficult to get to Hollow Bastion.

"Alright. Let's go…"

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Traverse_** **_Town_**

"So, how exactly are we supposed to help Sora, anyway? There has to be a cure, right?"

In the center of the First District, Mickey and Riku conversed once more. As of now, there was no activity within the streets of Traverse Town, as it was rather late at night. Even all the shops had closed down for the evening, leaving the two cloaked beings alone. At the present moment, the duo was discussing Sora's present state once more, and Riku in particular was very concerned, to say the least. Why, his worry was written all over his face, from his weary frown to his widened, sorrowful eyes.

Mickey himself didn't look too peachy either, as his brow was firm with apprehension, and his eyes gleamed with a sudden sternness. He turned his large, circular eared head to Riku and replied, "Gosh, Riku, it's really complicated. You see, the Organization messed with his heart, causing the darkness to take over." Riku nodded, knowing well of how the darkness had been involved.

"Yeah, I know that, Your Majesty," he sighed, looking up at the sky for a moment. "But, I just want to know how to help him. I mean, after all the hiding I've done, it's the least I can do, right? He's my best friend, but I need to treat him like it…" Truthfully, he felt terrible still, and Mickey could easily see that. Then again, who could blame Riku? The way he had given himself to the darkness, and become all but a heartless gave him every right to hide from his friend. After all, though his appearance wasn't a major change (despite heartless coloration, his face retained its normal shape, albeit nullified by the darkness), it was still enough to show that he had returned to the thing he had promised to abandon.

Mickey sighed, looking down towards the pavement. "Well, Riku, it's not that easy. Sora's got too much darkness in him for his own good. And, well, the only way to cure him would be to somehow overpower his darkness with light, or…" Tilting his head, the silver haired teenager gave the King a confused look. What was this other choice the mouse was contemplating?

"Or what?" Riku questioned, still wondering what Mickey had in mind. For a moment, though, the cloaked rodent remained silent, his eyes averted from Riku's line of sight. For, you see, his answer would be one that was most distasteful, to say the least. In fact, it was downright crazy!

"Well," muttered the King, in a melancholy tone of voice, "Riku…there's another option, but…it'd mean that someone would have ta take Sora's darkness into themselves! It's a tough choice, really. Gosh, I just wish there was another way…" Riku remained silent as he let this all sink in. What Mickey had said was far from reassuring. There were so few choices…either he'd find someone, or something that could rejuvenate Sora's light, or someone, most likely himself, would have to absorb the very darkness from his body. But…he couldn't just let his best friend down like that. He WOULD help…somehow.

"How can I help him?" he questioned, facing away from his ally. "There has to be something I can do…" There was no denying that Riku was incredibly concerned for his childhood friend. He had to help in some way, or he'd never make up for the terrible things he had done a year ago. Even now, he regretted every turning to the darkness, betraying everyone important to him, and becoming Ansem's puppet. Mickey could see this, and he knew that it was for the best if Riku went on and assisted Sora. Likely, he'd make this slight dilemma and much quicker.

Ambling towards the cloaked teenager, Mickey responded, "Well, I think that it would best if ya went ahead and looked for Donald and Goofy. You should probably tell them about the cure, for starters." Puzzled, Riku merely raised a brow at this. How the heck was he supposed to know where Sora's friends were? It's not like he'd been with them recently.

"How am I supposed to find them, though?" he asked, still rather confused.

"Well," said the King, scratching his chin with one gloved hand, "I guess ya just gotta follow your heart. I'm sure that if you just pay attention to what you're heart's sayin', you'll find them in a jiffy!" Smirking, Riku gave the King a look of approval. Not that relying on one's heart would be the easiest way to find his friends, but who knows? Maybe he would bump into them quicker than he expected. All he'd have to do is look. So, there he stood, one arm reached outwards, ready to summon up a portal, as Mickey simply retained his cheery appearance.

"Thank you, your majesty," Riku exclaimed, all before calling up the blackened void of darkness that would hopefully lead him to Donald, Goofy, and the others. Somehow, he _would_ make up for what he had done…that was sure.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

Two lions, of all things, ambled through a once glorious savannah now overtaken by carnage. The grass had died down, the trees whittled away, and all signs of life scarce. Why, it was almost as if the two were walking through a jungle graveyard! Regardless, the duo remained rather calm during this situation, despite the unpleasant mood this setting had to offer. Now, the first lion looked somewhat young, though he was older than a cub. His fur color was a blondish shade, though instead of having a mane, he had…a fur mullet. Why, this 'lion' was, in reality, Demyx! The other lion, too, was unusual, though far more than IX. His fur was a grayish color, while his mane was black…but, the thing is, his body was huge, and almost appeared to be inflated! Plus, his face was certainly not natural. Yeah, it was Pete alright.

Smirking, the first lion, or rather, nobody, chirped, "So, you think we're really gonna be able to fool that scar guy into helping us? I mean, he's got all those heartless now, but…I dunno, he seems kinda picky about us 'outsiders'. I wonder what's eatin' him." Pete merely snorted at this, mostly likely because he was too stubborn to think about anything Demyx had mentioned. Instead, he shook his rather deformed face, laughing at his comrade.

"Are you kiddin' me?" snapped the obese wildcat. "We've got that Scar fellow eatin' right outta our hands! Why, in no time, he'll be a heartless!" Yep, Pete was a smug one alright. Too egotistical to think otherwise. Even Demyx could only grumble at his behavior…but the Superior _had_ forced the two to work together, regardless. All he could do was ignore the pest. Instead of responding, he kept on walking, his eyes locked on the sight ahead, namely a large cliff-like structure that residents of this world would automatically know as Pride Rock. Here he and Pete were to have another meeting with the current king, none other than Scar himself. As of late, these meetings had been frequent, especially after the Organization had lent a handful of heartless in order to…persuade the lions to submit, since Outlanders alone weren't good enough.

Finally, after about, say, five minutes of leisurely strolling, the two felines reached their destination. Looming overhead, still proud and strong, even during this time of tyranny, was Pride Rock, the only symbol of the good days before King Mufasa's death. Here is where, along with Pete, the Melodious Nocturne would have another 'pleasant conversation' with the malicious tyrant himself. In fact, he could already see three of his followers sitting on one of the lower rocks next to the larger cliff. At this, both outsiders wore somewhat pleased expressions.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?" cooed one of them, a hyena, a twisted, toothy smile spread across her muzzle. "If it isn't the two outsiders off to have another 'chat' with the king." She merely stared at the duo, along with her two partners, also of the same species. Between the three of them, they weren't exactly pleasant specimens. Their fur was a greenish-grey, while they had tufts of fur on their backs and heads of a darker color, as could be said with their spots. Plus, each of them was always looking snide, and vicious. Demyx especially didn't like these guys. Even Zira was better!

Backing off somewhat, Demyx retorted, "L-look guys, we don't want any trouble. We're just sorta…here to talk to the boss and then get back to sending in those heartless. No harm done, right?" The first response from this was nothing short of a cackle from Ed, one of the dopier hyenas, whose face looked as if it had been hit by a truck. All IX could do about this was shudder at the terrible noise. Why did those freaks have to be so creepy?

Giving a slight snarl, Shenzi, the female, responded, "Ya know, if you two weren't cool with Scar, we'd have eaten you already. You'd both taste a lot better than whatever food's left here, especially that watermelon of a lion." That last bit actually caused Pete to attempt a roar, as he hated being insulted. However, it came out as a mere squeak mixed in with a grunt, which only lead to more entertainment for the trio of minions. "Nice try, kitty, but it looks like you're still just another reject of a lion. It figures."

"You watch it, missy!" Pete snapped, stepping forward, trying to look intimidating. "You don't know who you're messin' with here. Why, I'm the MIGHTY Pete, and doncha forget it!" Again, the trio of termite coated canines broke out into sheer laughter, while Demyx simply gave Pete a slight push before stepping forward. Despite his naivety, he wasn't a _total_ idiot, unlike what many Organization members would assume.

"Look, if you want to see Scar so bad, go ahead," snickered one of the other hyenas, Banzai. "We'll just be waiting here 'til you end up dead." Despite the trio's snappish attitude, Demyx and Pete both pressed on, without another word, thankfully. Right now, they were going to simply do Organization business. Not even those three would get in the way… Besides, the more heartless, the better.

**End of Chapter**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**AN: **Well, I hope this chapter's ok. I kinda had some ups and downs, but I guess it's decent. We got some nice foreshadowing here, but I won't tell ya where. ;3 But I WILL say that a certain character I like happens to actually stay alive in the manga, and I'm REALLY tempted to fit him in somehow, considering he fits in with...something

Oh, and that last part was to show what's up with Demyx, since I haven't done much with him lately.

Anyway, feel free to leave a review, 'cuz it's appreciated.


	19. Backtracking

Once again, I have an update! Well, this chapter doesn't have much action as it does plot movement, but hey, you can't just have constant fighting, right? Anyway, here we have some slight stuff in HB, along with another FF cameo, and two extra scenes at the end thrown in because I'm nice. :3 Anyway…

**Chapter 16: Backtracking**

_**Somewhere…**_

Sora could feel the cold chill rushing up against him. It was like being in a blizzard with next to nothing on. His very being felt as if it were about to chip into several pieces. Yet, it could not, as this wasn't real. Rather, the poor boy was trapped in the depths of his corrupt mind, as his inner darkness controlled his body. All he could do was hide in the depths of his consciousness, hoping to be freed from this horrible state soon. He was too hindered to fight back, too weak. Even he had to admit that this was too intense.

_I just don't understand… _

There was just a lot for him to deal with right now. First and foremost were those dreams, which had led to his curiosity in Roxas. In fact, he let that overtake his interest in finding the King and Riku! But perhaps it was due to the fact that he _was_ Sora's nobody, not that the Keybearer knew this. That aside, there was also Organization XIII to deal with, along with this new hindrance, namely, his darkness. And, all this time, as he sat, unable to control himself, that looming shadow gazed over him, laughing like a corrupt maniac with no sanity whatsoever.

"**_Sora, Sora, Sora," _**grumbled his Anti-Self, gazing down at the weakened half of himself. He looked as if he were to strike at the fifteen year old and tear him to bits, though this was not possible, considering they were merely having a fight over consciousness. "**_What's wrong? Afraid of a little darkness? Are you really that weak?" _**Sora groaned, lifting himself upright, giving his counterpart a nasty glare. Weak or not, he wasn't just going to back down that easily. After all, he had been through a lot on his adventures, enough to handle little interferences such as this. At this sight of courage, though, Anti Sora could only snarl.

Either way, Sora snapped, "You'll see! My friends are out there right now, looking for a way to stop you!" Anti merely shrugged, looking quite unphased by this notion. "I may not be able to fight or anything, but that doesn't matter! My friends are always there for me, and they won't let you do this. We still have a mission, and I KNOW Donald's not about to let you run around in my body messing things up!" For whatever reason, though, the corrupt state of mind remained silent at this, looking towards the nonexistent ground. Perhaps he didn't even have a comeback…

Then, he finally said, "**_We'll just see about that, Keybearer. My hold upon your heart is too strong for those two to break…" _**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Hollow Bastion**_

Hollow Bastion, as usual, was a complete and utter mess. People gathered along the streets, fighting over places in line for the shops, which were busier than usual, and it was almost as if the locals were a mob of angry villagers getting ready for a midnight march, complete with pitch forks and torches. Of course, this was far from true, but the mere fact that it was terribly difficult to maneuver around the streets of the Marketplace was really starting to grow on Donald's nerves. He, along with Roxas, Goofy, and Axel had already been trying to shuffle through the crowd for at least fifteen minutes already, and STILL they hadn't been able to reach Merlin's place.

Furious, the poultry mage shouted, "GAH! What is WITH people these days?!" Clearly, this wasn't the best time to mess with Donald, considering that any time now; he would blow up like a crate full of TNT. If he didn't have any better sense, he would have already used some fire magic on some passers by. "Can't they see that we gotta deal with Sora?! I mean, look at him! He's OBVIOUSLY dangerous!" Axel and Roxas both rolled their eyes at this, continuing to shove through the masses, while Goofy looked cheery, not even minding this huge swarm. Clearly he was forgiving.

They kept on shoving through for a while, Donald charging with his staff held out, ready to whack anyone who got on his bad side for a few more minutes. Though, things didn't really fare any better. Hubbub was filling the streets like a plague. It was almost as if it were some kinda holiday. This, of course, proved confusing. Either way, though, they might as well have dealt with it, since trying to start a fuss would only make things worse. Finally, though, they made it into the center of the road, where there were less people. Rather, the dark, smooth concrete was quite vacant, compared to the sidewalks and shops. Axel tilted his head, scratching his chin. He didn't exactly get what was going on.

"Y'know," he pondered aloud, staring at the citizens in curiosity, "I can't help but wonder what happened here to make this place so crazy. Last time I checked, this dump was as dead as Marluxia. Got it memorized?" Donald and Goofy raised their eyebrows at the mention of XI's name. For whatever reason, it sounded eerily familiar to them…though, that wasn't very important right now. Rather, taking Sora to Merlin's place was the main deal. "Anyway," added VIII, "I could just portal us to the ho—"

Of course, Axel didn't get to finish his sentence, as a strange _thump,_ _thump _sound could be heard from a few yards away. Why, Goofy nearly dropped the Keybearer, he was so startled, though one could say that Donald wasn't so pleased. All around, though, the townspeople paused, looking forward towards the source of the sound, becoming eerily silent. Roxas too was interested, though he had been keeping awfully quiet since his arrival. And, as the sound grew louder, things became _MORE_ interesting, as, marching down the streets of Hollow Bastion was a small group of what appeared to be small creatures dressed in musty brown robes carrying butcher knives. Their faces were a greenish color, shaped somewhat like that of a lizard, while their eyes had the same coloration of a heartless. Whatever these things were, they sure as heck were weird.

Roxas' eyes grew wide, as the strangers drew closer. Confusion was clearly visible upon his visage. Startled, he exclaimed, "What's THIS all about?!" It wasn't every day one saw weirdos in matted robes with a stinking knife. Donald and Goofy in particular had wide mouthed expressions, while VIII remained ever silent. After all, they weren't exactly sure whether these things were friend or foe. The fact that they just kept marching didn't improve matters either. It was almost as if those creatures were mindless zombies.

"Gawrsh," Goofy chortled, rubbing his nose. "I dunno what's goin' on, but it must be pretty important. Maybe this is why the people are all around the streets. Yup, I BET that's it!" Of course, the fowl magician nodded in agreement, pointing his staff at the group. He was VERY interested in knowing just who the heck these creeps were. Yet, here they were, continuing their jolly march. Nothing in the world would bother them. And, for some reason, the citizens seemed to be alright with this. Well, sort of. From the looks of things, they were sort of, staying away from the actual roads…

"Hey you!" Donald shouted at the countless robed marchers, each of them stopping at the sound of his squawking voice. Instantly, the group halted, standing erect, almost like statues. They remained silent, possibly because they were nervous...but either way, Donald didn't like it. He turned to the others, each simply shrugging and/or keeping completely quiet. It's not like that had any idea what was going on. "WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?!" Again, there was no response. Instead, each of the reptilian beasts took a single step forward… This caused the townspeople to stare, eyes wide at this unusual sight.

Goofy merely tilted his head at these small beings. He wasn't quite sure what to think. All they did was stand there, not even blinking, clutching onto their large knives. Even heartless weren't this creepy. He bent down slightly, trying to get a good look, though this didn't do a thing. As for Axel and Roxas, well, they weren't so thrilled either, though the beasts didn't necessarily look harmful. Actually, Axel himself simply stood pat, wearing a puzzled expression. These didn't exactly look like something worth fighting…rather, they seemed to be kinda…weak. "Is this some kinda joke?" scoffed the Flurry of the Dancing Flames, shaking his spiky head. "I don't have time to deal with these midgets!"

Again, the robed beings took a single step forth, their dull faces locked on the small group. Whatever they were, one thing was certain, and that was the fact that they were kinda…obscure. If there were any kind of threat, wouldn't they have already done something? Though, the fact that the townspeople seemed to be backing away from them had to mean something, right? This whole thing was just so confusing. Roxas frowned, looking up at Axel, saying, "You know, there's something that doesn't feel right about this… I mean, look at those things! They're just…standing there…"

"Yeah, I guess," replied VIII, placing both arms behind his head. "But who cares? We should just get outta here and leave these freaks alone. Got it memorized?" The others nodded, each of them attempting to step around the little pack. The only problem, however, was that they were blocking the streets. What was worse was the fact that they DID have weapons, even if they weren't exactly using them right now. Each of them hesitated, while the reptiles took yet another step forward. Yet, at the same time, they still weren't exactly that close. However, within the crowd a slight shuffling could be heard.

"This is really starting to tick me off!" Donald complained, not paying attention to the noise from behind. All he saw was a swarm of pests that wouldn't get out of his way, and this wasn't a good thing. "They aren't even doin' anything! Grah…I'll show those wise guys!" Flustered, the fowl pointed his mage staff at the beasts, who obviously just stood still, like giant rocks, not even moving slightly. In order to test them, though, he readied a spell, the tip of his staff glowing red hot in color, as a flurry of fire shot forth, igniting the robes of one of the creatures. At first, it seemed like Donald had actually aroused the beasts, but… they just took ANOTHER step.

The rustle in the crowd grew louder, as, out of the masses stepped Yuffie. She observed Donald and the other's attempts to fight the beasts with a not so pleased look on her mug. Unlike the group of heroes, she actually KNEW what these things were. One could say that they were called Tonberries, strange beasts who attacked with Butcher Knives and tended to kill once they came close enough. She sure as heck didn't like the fact that friends of Sora were in danger. Shaking her head, she came closer, right as a Tonberry took another step. Finally, she shouted, "Guys, hold up!"

Donald, Goofy, and the others all paused, turning around to see Yuffie standing on the sidewalk, waving one arm wildly. As opposed to her normal, spiffy attitude she actually looked rather concerned. Though, when she saw Roxas and Axel, not to mention Anti Sora being carried in Goofy's arms, one could say that she was confused, and that was putting it lightly. But, right now she'd just have to get them out of the streets before the beasts came any closer. Motioning for them to follow, she exclaimed, "C'mon, you can't just stay there! Tonberries aren't just little freak show lizards. Just…follow me, ok?"

Puzzled, the small little circle of heroes…and Axel remained still, kinda confused. Goofy himself tilted his head, really confused about what Yuffie had said. "Tonberries?" he asked, looking downright baffled. "Ya mean, those little guys there?" The ninja girl, nodded, shaking with excitement, and not the good kind either. She wasn't really very patient right now.

"Tonberries aren't like heartless," she explained, her eyes mainly focused on their butcher knives. "They don't attack until they're close enough to do any real damage, and then they cut your throats or stab you. But…they're not normally in town, which is why everyone's all gathered on the sidewalks. They won't attack if we're out of their way." The others nodded, understanding this now. No wonder they weren't even doing anything! It was all part of their attack strategy.

"So," Roxas said, looking towards Yuffie in a casual way, "I guess someone let these things in or something?" He shrugged, hoping that the ninja wouldn't spaz out and ask him a bunch of pointless questions, especially with the present scenario. Fortunately, however, she merely gave him an approving glance; she obviously wasn't in the mood to question the group with these little nuisances around. Besides, it probably wouldn't have been the best idea with all these people surrounding them.

"Anyway, just follow me back to Merlin's place, alright?" said Yuffie, looking mildly flustered once again. "I'm really confused about what happened, but it'd probably better to talk it over with Leon and the others." Donald himself was the first to agree, turning away from the Tonberries, despite his frustration. He didn't really want to risk getting chopped to bits, and they had already wasted enough time as it was.

"We'll explain alright," muttered the featherbag, rolling his large, sky blue eyes. "It'll probably end up confusing you, though." He shrugged before motioning for the others to follow. Of course, the others did as he commanded, considering that this little piece of poultry wasn't the best person to irritate. However, Axel still didn't look so ecstatic, considering that he was only tagging along because of Roxas. Regardless, though, they each managed to squeeze into the crowd, leaving the pesky Tonberries behind. One thing was certain, to Donald at least, and that was the fact that he would definitely pester Leon about those things.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Hollow Bastion: Ravine Trail**_

_SLASH!_ Yet another heartless met the end of Riku's Soul Eater as he traversed the Ravine Trail. The place itself was colored in blue and purple tones, mostly made of stone. There were few hiding places here, and no signs of civilization. Not that this mattered to the sixteen year old. In reality, the only thing that he was worried about at the present time was Sora. Of course, at the present moment, he was a tad preoccupied with charging through these swarms of heartless and dusks. Currently, he was surrounded by several shadows, mixed in with a few soldiers. Each of them made an attempt to remove his heart, only to find themselves being impaled by the sharp end of Riku's wing-shaped sword. Though he did get scratched a few times by their claws, he was in relatively good shape, even after dealing with Saïx back in Traverse Town.

He paced around slightly, watching the dark incarnates closing in. His gleaming eyes were locked on the few remaining heartless in this mob. They were being rather still at the moment, merely stepping closer, but Riku knew better than to give them a chance to strike. Closer, closer, and closer the little vermin came, until they were but a yard away from Riku. This was his chance to strike. Clutching his weapon tightly in hand, he jumped forward, striking his blade into the backs of many a heartless. With each stab, another denizen of the shadows faded in a wisp of gaseous mist, leaving a heart behind. However, in coming so close to these beings, Riku found himself being pulled down by a few soldiers behind him.

Both heartless tried to rip into his cloak in an attempt to remove Riku's heart. Being instinctive creatures, they couldn't help themselves. The only problem for them was that Riku wasn't the type to just give up. One could call it stubbornness, or another could call it bravery, but either way, when he was being mauled by those two soldiers, he managed to take his sword and stab them from underneath, causing those two to fade as well. With those two out of the way, he managed to get back to his feet, only to find two shadows heading his way. Quickly, he managed to dodge roll out of their way, only to find them both leaping back. He muttered under his breath, due to frustration, all before diving at the weaklings and eliminating them as well.

With those last two shadows taken care of, the small heartless mob had been depleted to nothing. This was relieving for Riku, considering that he wasn't too interested in fighting right now. Dusting off his cloak, he prepared to continue searching for his friend. For whatever reason, he had this strange feeling that Sora was here somewhere…though, he was rather unsure whether this was a good feeling or not. Still, there was no time to lose here. He was far from any signs of civilization, and if he was going to find the others, he'd have to hurry…

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Hollow Bastion: Borough**_

"So, what's with Sora, anyway? He didn't turn into a heartless again, did he?"

In the middle of the Borough, the group made their way towards Merlin's house, where the Restoration Committee was waiting. Upon leaving the streets of the Marketplace, where the Tonberries were marching, one could certainly assume that Yuffie had been asking a LOT of questions. First of all, she had been quite curious as to why an Organization member had been traveling with heroes like Donald and Goofy. To her, it seemed rather insane, if not neigh impossible. But, thanks to Roxas, there had been a tad more understanding in that particular area. Next, she had mentioned that Leon was EAGER to talk to the blonde about…certain things, which Donald and Goofy added that they were quite perplexed as well.

Right now, though, the Ninja was asking one of the more important, albeit puzzling questions, namely, why and how Sora became his Anti self. To her, it was simply confusing because there was no way the Keybearer would let himself fall to darkness again. It just wasn't in his nature, being one who defended the light like it was the most important thing to him, aside from his friends, of course. Noticing this, Donald gave the teenager a nod, preparing to explain the situation to his best extent. After all, he was typically the brains of the operation.

"Well," mused the fowl, strutting along the empty streets of the borough, "we were all on a mission back in another world. It was right after we left last time, and, well, a member of Organization XIII somehow kidnapped Sora, and now he's like a heartless, only worse!" Axel smirked at this, crossing his long, skinny arms while continuing to amble himself.

"Actually," said the nobody with an air of sarcasm, "he's gotten a lot tougher, heh. I'd say it's an improvement, really. Back at Castle Oblivion, he only won by sheer luck." With that, the snappy pyromaniac grinned at the feathery time bomb, wondering how he'd react. And, well, the first thing Donald did was turn beat red, his large eyes squinting in frustration as he tried to keep his calm. Clearly he didn't have time to go all out on this cook, especially since he was supposedly an ally.

Stomping one of his large, webbed feet madly, the fowl exclaimed, "Just what're you THINKING?! Sora's DANGEROUS, not to mention that he's totally LOST it – wait, Castle Oblivion?" The poultry mage paused for a moment, letting his composure cool down once more. Despite Axel's blatant sarcastic nature, Donald could only ponder about what he said. When did Sora ever go to a Castle Oblivion? And…he'd met this guy? But how?

Simply rolling his eyes, Axel replied tersely, "Looks like someone needs to learn about sarcasm. Got it memorized?" That said, he continued walking, his best friend following closely behind. But, of course, being Donald, that answer wasn't good enough…or even close for that matter. When Axel had failed to clarify, the fowl became more frustrated than before and actually had marched right up to the cloaked being, Goofy watching with much fascination, Yuffie as well.

"Look, wise guy!" he shouted, flailing his somewhat stubby arms about. "I wanna know whactha meant by Castle Oblivion." Axel simply looked down at the piece of poultry and shook his head. Even if Donald thought of himself as threatening, the Flurry of the Dancing Flames did not.

Turning away from the mage and continuing to head for Merlin's, he replied, "It's nothing to worry yourself over. Just pretend you never heard it from me. Heh." Once this was said, things quieted down for a brief moment. Even though the poultry mage was ticked like a time bomb, he figured he wasn't going to get a straight answer out of this guy, thus he turned and rejoined Goofy and Yuffie, both of which simply shrugged at the rather temperamental ball of white. At the same time, Roxas merely shook his head at the antics of his friend…

It wasn't much longer before Merlin's house came into plain sight, considering the walk from the Market Place was rather brief. Really, the only reason why it had taken so long in the first place was because they all had to stop and chat. But, as of now the rather unusually shaped building was but two yards away from them, ready to be entered without a second of hesitation. Upon seeing this, all five of them, not counting Sora, who was still out cold, made haste, dashing for the door of the wizard's abode. It was about time they had gotten on track! A few seconds passed before Yuffie, who had been the swiftest runner, being a ninja, reached for the doorknob and swung that thing right open!

"Guys!" she shouted into the doorway with a beaming smile, waving an arm about, "we're back!" Following her greeting, the ninja girl headed inside, just to give the others a chance to head in themselves. And they did, Donald strutting in first, a cocky expression painted on his mug, Goofy still carrying Sora's unconscious body, and Axel and Roxas simply walking in a casual manner, though the latter seemed a tad shy…mostly due to Leon.

Now, inside there was quite a bit more people than usual. Of course, Leon was there, leaning against one of the walls, both arms crossed as he watched the others enter. Upon seeing Roxas, and even worse, an Organization member, though, his face became a tad more distraught. Cid was sitting in the computer chair, typing something on the keys; he didn't really pay attention to the others as he seemed to be occupied, while Aeris merely carried a tray of tea onto a table which was set up in the center of the room. However, aside from the typical members of the committee, there was also Yen Sid seated at the table, drinking a beverage which Aeris had so kindly offered.

Next to Yen Sid was none other than the Fairy God Mother, who was a plump old lady dressed in a blue cloak whose hair was pure white and her face warming and welcoming. She too was enjoying some warm tea. Second to last sat a duck very similar to Donald himself, although he was dressed quite differently. Instead of wearing clothing made up of zippers, this older fowl wore a large, black top hat, along with a long sleeved shirt which was mostly blue, though the tips of the sleeves and collar were read. He also had strange red shoes which were open in the front area, most likely due to his webbed feet. Then, last but not least was Merlin himself who simply smiled and nodded at the group, despite the suspicious appearance of Axel.

"Well, well," said the wizard in a cheery tone. "I see that you all have made a few new friends." He stroked his beard as he examined the newcomers (he had not met Roxas himself, unlike the rest of the committee). "Well, you are all right on time! We were all just about to discuss the rather whimsical situation." Donald shook his head at his fellow magician, not exactly pleased at the idea of this discussion. It wasn't exactly that he wasn't pleased to see the man, but the fact remained that Sora was the main priority.

"Merlin," squawked the fowl," pointing to Goofy, who was still lugging Sora's darkened form around. "We don't have time to talk about this stuff right now. Sora's in trouble, and we could use some help!" The knight himself gave a dopey nod at his ally's statement, keeping his wide grin. Even now, Goofy was in bright spirits.

Stepping closer to the group, the canine added, "Yup! Sora's kinda different now, like a heartless, but I know your magic can change him back to his good old self! A-hyuck!" Both the Fairy Godmother and Yen Sid passed glances at the group, as well as Merlin, each of them filled with surprise. Heck, even Leon and Cid looked shocked…while Yuffie and Aeris simply remained silent. Scrooge, however, simply sipped some tea.

"My goodness," exclaimed the Godmother, her plump face showing much interest. "Never before have I seen something so peculiar!" The Sorcerer, Yen Sid, of course, nodded at this, turning his gaze to the group standing before him, his expression stern, yet still friendly enough.

Placing his own glass down, he said, "It seems that Sora has fallen to the darkness within his heard. Doubtless this is the work of Organization XIII." He stopped, gazing at Roxas and Axel for a moment before turning back to the Donald, "Tell me, Donald, what has occurred since you have awakened? Seeing that I was unable to see you off, I am expecting a proper explanation." Scrooge Mc Duck nodded as well, adjusting his tall hat and turning to his nephew.

"Aye," said the rich piece of poultry, "please do be kind enough to explain, lads. It isn't every day you see the Keybearer turned into what appears to be a heartless, eh?" Letting out a squawk-like sigh, Donald pointed to Sora and prepared to explain what happened…though, he was a tad confused at what Yen Sid had said, admittedly. Regardless, it was better to focus on the main point as opposed to pondering in the unknown.

"Well," began the mage of Disney Castle in an explanatory tone, "I already told Yuffie, but we were on a mission in another world, when we saw Riku, and Sora went with him, while we went to check out the dungeon, but…uh… we sorta got caught in a fight with some Organization member with…with…GAH! Her thunder spell was the strongest magic I've SEEN! But, anyway, after that, we found out that Sora had been captured by the Organization…and I guess this is what happened to him," he quickly pointed a feathered finger at Sora's blackish form before finishing his statement," So, I hope that explains everything."

"Not quite," intruded Leon, who had finally decided to speak. His gaze was locked on Axel, who he had yet to consider an ally. Grumbling, he snapped, "Why are you traveling with a member of Organization XIII? They're the ones who are causing this mess, and now they've sent in the Tonberries and…you get the picture. My point is, they're the enemy. Shouldn't you be with someone you can actually trust?" Yen Sid took a moment to glare at Leon, for whatever reason. Perhaps it was because he wished to contemplate over all this. Though, upon being glanced at, like so, the leader of the committee simply shrugged, getting back to his position against the wall.

Getting up from his chair, the sorcerer exclaimed, "Perhaps you all should speak to me privately in the basement. There is a lot of intrigue in your tale, Donald, and I cannot help but wonder if this 'Riku' you saw was the same impostor who had given you the faulty Gummi Ship." Pointing at Merlin and the Godmother, he added, "Perhaps you two should join us as well. From what I have seen, we need a resolution before everything goes astray." Something didn't seem quite right about this mentioning of a 'basement', though. The whole place looked like a single-room house, so where were the stairs? Bothered by this, Axel decided it was his turn to speak.

"Hold it," retorted the fiery nobody, rolling his eyes, "how are they supposed to meet in a stinkin' basement, when this place doesn't even have one, eh? Looks like I'm missing something here, so fill me in. Got it memorized?" Of course, instead of a spoken response, the Flurry of the Dancing Flames got something different entirely. You see, Merlin lifted his want, wearing a whimsical grin, lifted his arm up in the air, and in an instant, the floor changed shape. Over in the corner, a small flight of stairs appeared, going deep into the dark. Axel himself was amazed, though he didn't want to admit it.

Heading towards the stairs, Yen Sid said, "Now then, shall we continue?" He continued going down the steps without any hesitation, the other magic folk following close behind. Donald himself had to admit that he was glad that fellow magicians were around to help. Smirking, the fowl gestured at Goofy, who simply nodded, and they both headed for the brown, wooden staircase to the bottom depths of this place. Hopefully with the wizard, the Godmother, the sorcerer, and Donald, things would become clearer. After all, this little Sora thing was a mere distraction, giving Organization XIII more time to prepare.

But, now that everyone, spare Scrooge and the committee were downstairs, both Roxas and Axel found a certain man with a Gunblade staring at them both…again, for that matter. Not only was there an Organization member around, but now there was the Dual Wielding Keybearer from before…the one who knew an awful lot for someone he hadn't met. Not to mention the fact that Sora had wanted Leon to speak to him anyway. So, pushing himself away from the wall, the seventeen year old said, "You have a lot of explaining to do…"

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Destiny_** **_Islands: The Secret Place_**

The Secret Place on Destiny Island had always been special to Kairi. The way its stone walls reflected on the past, with various drawings she and her friends had done in their childhood, and the way they had always played here, pretending there were monsters among other things, always brought a smile to her face. But…right now she couldn't help but worry, as she sat on the cold, hard ground, gazing at the image of her and Sora sharing a paopu… It had been a year since the boy had promised to return, and he still had yet to surface. Though, the princess knew that he was the Keybearer, and he had a lot of work, saving the various worlds and whatnot. But still, there was this horrible feeling in her chest, like something terrible had happened.

Right now, she wished that her friends were here, so things could go back to the way they used to be. The girl wanted to be able to spend time with Sora and Riku, not worrying about heartless, or darkness, or anything. Whatever happened to just hanging out on the warm, sandy shores as the beaming sun shone down on the treetops? She sighed, knowing that she was asking for too much, but still…wasn't there a way she could help? Sora and Riku were strong, and they could fight…but she often pondered over the fact that she could very possibly only be a burden holding them back. Right now was no different…

_What if…I'm just in the way? _she thought, looking down at the ground, her bangs drooping downward so they were covering bits of her face. _I want to help, but what can I do? Both of them are strong, and they can help people. All I ever do is get kidnapped…_ She was about to break into sobbing, but then she felt a strange breeze, an unusual presence echoing within the cave walls. At this, her sapphire eyes widened, and she found her spirits _slightly_ lifted.

_Princess… _said a voice, though there was nobody else in the cave at all, _certainly you haven't considered the possibilities, hm? Have you forgotten about the mere fact that Sora merely wishes to return home? How selfish of you to…rush him, wouldn't you agree? _Kairi nodded, knowing that what he, whoever he was, was right. She shouldn't have been so selfish to think otherwise…

Eyes scanning the cave, the princess exclaimed, "Wh-who are you? And…and…" She made sure that, whoever this was, he didn't try anything funny. After all, even though she couldn't fight, the girl had to be cautious. Who was to say this guy wasn't a heartless? This was all so strange to her, the way this voice would speak to her without even saying a name. Could it have been that Roxas she had once heard, or someone else? Either way, it was so…bizarre.

"_Over here…"_

Emerging from a swirling vortex of darkened sapphire and violet was Zexion, the bottom of his obsidian cloak flapping in the breeze, along with his silverish blue locks. Upon his pale, scratched face was a broad grin, despite the fact that he was clearly in pain, clutching onto his chest tightly. Shocked at this sight, Kairi ran towards the teenager, despite the fact that he was a complete stranger. Zex saw this, his grin widening even more while his yellowed eyes stared at her. _Perfect, _he thought, watching her approach, _a princess of heart…one whose existence is pure light…quite the opposite of me, after what I've done…_

Watching this stranger clutch his chest as if he had been badly impaled, despite his smirk, wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing for Kairi. There was just something so…unnerving for her to witness this insanity. Despite having no clue who this guy was, she looked up at him, quietly asking, "Hey…are you ok?" Zexion responded to this merely by nodding and releasing his clutch on his stomach, as his features became more relaxed. For whatever reason, the pain he was in had either subsided or he was simply holding it in…

"_Nothing to worry about, princess," _mused the Cloaked Schemer in a faux tone of friendliness. "_Though… a little bird told me that you were stuck here, helpless, on this wretched excuse for an island. It's deplorable the way your friends left you here to go on their little adventures, hm? I can only assume that they're up to their necks in trouble as we speak…" _Kairi's eyes widened at Zexion's last remark. The fact that he had mentioned Sora and Riku being in a heap of trouble seemed rather suspicious. Something wasn't right. Plus, a few moments ago, he had mentioned the Keybearer as well…

Crossing her fair, lean arms, the princess remarked, "How do you know Sora and Riku?" She had to get to the bottom of this… Mostly because, if he knew of her friends, maybe there was the slight chance that he could help. Zexion could see this, right from her expression. Plus, her scent seemed to give off a worried air as well. With both factors in place, VI decided to play with the girl even more…

"_Maybe I know something," _he replied, stepping closer to the princess. "_After all, I knew well enough that you were crying…for them. They left you, didn't they, princess?" _Kairi's face give off a desperate appearance, her eyes wide with sudden hope, as she stared at this mysterious teenager. Something told her that this wasn't right…and he could be tricking her, but she didn't care. She wanted the answers. Right now.

"Please," she said, still gazing at Zexion with a sorrowful expression, "just tell me… It's been a year, and I'd do anything to see Sora again, Riku too. Isn't there a way…to find them?" Clearly there was no way Kairi was ever going to let the Cloaked Schemer live this down, not that he cared. To him, the girl was just another piece in the puzzle, another pawn in his scheme. This mock sympathy would only last so long before he removed the veil and showed his true colors for all to see…

"_Sora and Riku are…out there," _Zex finally said, getting quite tired of this game. He had all the necessary information he needed… All he needed to do now was to light the flame of the candle, make the princess think, ponder, and wonder about his words. "_Both have been…how can I put this? Ah yes, they've been in so much trouble, that even said word cannot describe it. Deplorable, I know, but it is indeed the truth." _Pausing, he took a quick glance at one of the cave drawings before proceeding. "_As for finding them…it's quite possible. The answer you seek is in this very cave. You just haven't been looking hard enough…"_

"But, how?" Kairi retorted, her wide eyes now filled with fear and curiosity. "You're not making sense… I don't have one of those Gummi Ships, and even if I could leave, I'm weak. Compared to Sora and Riku, I'm—" Zexion shook his head at this, deciding to intrude.

"_What is weak, princess?" _he questioned, surreptitiously reaching for his little slip of paper. "_Is it the inability to fight, or something more? Think about this: while one may be weak in body, the strength of their heart could be enough to make them stronger than even the most powerful hero, or even the greatest threat. Besides, your little Keybearers would protect you regardless. So," _and here he turned around, as if ready to leave, "honestly_, it doesn't matter. Your scent makes it obvious that you have a deep desire for the both of them…especially Sora. And while I cannot take you to him, I will say that somewhere in this cave lies your escape…" _

That said, Zexion began stepping out, towards the cave entrance, where he would merely vanish from sight to return to Beast's Castle. The only reason why he had stopped to toy with the girl was in order to fill her heads with exceedingly high confidence. In fact, upon turning away, his once soft gaze had shifted to a cold, hard, relentless grimace. However, before the Cloaked Schemer could make his leave, he found himself stopping in mid step, feeling as if he was being stared at like some museum exhibit. Turning his head slightly, he found his suspicions correct, at the sight of a certain Princess of Heart looking as if so many questions were left unanswered.

"So that's it?" she asked the stranger, looking down at her feet. "I'm supposed to just…leave? But—" Grumbling, VI turned around briefly just to deal with the princess. She clearly hadn't gotten the memo, despite Zexion's clarity.

Somewhat annoyed, at least, for a nobody, Zex explained, "_You will find your way off of the island… I won't say how, or why, but believe me when I say that your curiosity will overwhelm you in due time. Now, no more of this…" _With that, the Cloaked Schemer trudged off without another word, his back turned to the princess, and his paper clutched tightly in hand. As soon as he reached the waterfall, he reached out a hand, as a swirling, dark portal rose up from the sand, as usual. Smirking, he prepared to enter, as the gaseous space began to envelope his form. He would return to Beast's Castle and continue the mission as planned…and the princess would surely ponder over his logic.

_Just as planned… The next piece in the puzzle has been placed, and the picture is becoming clearer._

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**The World that Never Was**_

Vexen, Lexaeus, and Xemnas were the only members left within the castle. By now, the others had all departed for their missions in the various worlds, where they would continue forming pacts with the residential villains, supplying them with vast amounts of heartless. However, this didn't matter at the present moment, considering the circumstances. Rather, the trio of nobodies were more focused on one major issue: Sora. Despite what Vexen had said, about the teenager heading for the heartless, it was clear that the corrupt Keybearer had done nothing of the sort.

Rather, his curiosity about Roxas, and his heartless-like nature had propelled him to seek the blonde instead of following what IV had anticipated. Due to this, the only thing the experiment had done was delay things, rather than helping. It was as if the whole idea of kidnapping Sora was for naught. Instead of hastening the pace of retrieving hearts, it had become incredibly drawn out. Because of the circumstances, the trio of nobodies stood, gathered in the midst of Vexen's lab, where they observed the situation on his large monitor.

"_Intriguing," _Xemnas mused, his face placid and uncaring. "_It seems that they have managed to detain the Keybearer…despite his present state of mind. Though, I do wonder if they will manage to restore him soon." _Vexen himself remained rather quiet, mostly due to the fact that he felt "guilty" for ruining the Superior's scheme. He sighed, knowing that things really HAD gone too far.

Stroking his lean, bony chin, Vexen finally said, "_Perhaps there is a way… You see, I merely reached into the depths of Sora's heart and tinkered with his darkness. Therefore, his true nature is far from gone. And while the only way to truly rid him of this menace is to somehow remove the darkness or blind it with light, perhaps there is a way to reach his consciousness?" _Both Xemnas and Lexaeus attempted to consider this concept, pondering over the mere idea of temporarily stopping this…

The Silent Hero glanced once towards the Superior, and once towards IV. Both seemed to be wondering about the same ordeal, namely, the one with Sora. "_Vexen has a point," _Lexaeus alleged, sounding somber and uninterested. His gaze was focused on a strange, metallic puzzle at the moment, which he had been tinkering with for the past while. "_The Keybearer has a strong enough heart. It should be simple enough to get him back to his usual behavior…" _

"_Agreed, Lexaeus," _said the Superior, still looking solemn and uninterested. "_Though, I do wonder how things will be, considering that Riku has seemed to have shed his little fear of the darkness. Saïx has informed me that his strength has excelled greatly." _He paused for a moment, glancing towards Vexen, who was gazing at the monitor, observing the scene before himself. "_Regardless," _continued Xemnas, turning away from IV, "_we mustn't let this little interference get in the way of our precious Kingdom Hearts…"_

Both Lexaeus and Vexen nodded once more, though the latter was still fixed on the screen. Eagerness filled his being, as he observed the basement in Hollow Bastion all the way from his comfort zone. Somehow, despite the fact that he had screwed up, the Chilly Academic's scientific interest was dominant, and he found himself intrigued by Sora's nature. The way he had almost become another person was simply astounding; if anything, he had expected the teenager to behave like a heartless. _I haven't a clue how Sora's darkness has manifested itself, _he thought, raising a brow, _but somehow, the boy has another consciousness now…I can only imagine how this will affect things, especially if his darkness is somehow removed…_

**End of Chapter**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**AN: **Well, there you have it. The magic folk of Hollow Bastion are gonna discuss a few things. After that, though, they WILL return to Beast's Castle to finish the mission. After all, Organization XIII HAS been messing with Beast a lot. Heh. Also, the Tonberries were sent in by Organization to keep people inside their homes, so they wouldn't try to leave and mess with the heartless. And…by now it's obvious that the nobodies speak in italics, but that's because it makes them stand out.

Also, consider the Zexion scene as a bonus. I was GOING to remove it, but I thought, hey, it's interesting enough. Let's just say he took a quick break from the castle. And, now for a preview of the next chapter…

**The Beast could hardly restrain himself, as he glared towards Donald and Goofy. His once peaceful and intelligent eyes had now become fierce and relentless, and the way he stood, crouched down, his back arched, and his teeth bared clearly showed that he was in no mood for negotiations. Both the fowl and the Defender backed off slightly, their faces painted with worry, while Marluxia merely twirled a rose between two gloved fingers. **

"**_My, my" _he said, attempting to sound sympathetic, "_it seems our little Beast is in an ill mood. I cannot help but wonder what you two have done to greatly offend such a 'poor creature'." _He smirked as the all too familiar dark portal materialized within the room. "_I do believe that I have other matters to attend to, so, farewell…" _He vanished right after said statement, and the Beast charged.**

Anyway, reviews, as usual, are appreciated!


	20. Storming the Castle

Alright folks. Because this chapter is so darn long, I've split it into two parts. Hope that's alright…XD; Anyway, part one basically closes up loose ends of the previous chapter before setting things up for part 2, which ahs three fights going on at once. Ouch. x.x Anyway…

**Chapter 17 Part 1: Storming the Castle**

The basement of Merlin's house was a peculiar place. The walls were bland, lacking much decoration, being brown in color, and there were countless cupboards lining the vicinity. The floor was hard and somewhat creaky, as if the wood had been rotting for a very long time, and there was but a single light up above. It wasn't much, that was for sure, but regardless, it was a decent enough place to discuss important matters involving Sora himself. This was why Yen Sid, Merlin, the Godmother, Donald, and Goofy all stood, gathered around the unconscious teenager, observing his blackened form.

The poultry mage shrugged, looking down towards the Keybearer with a frown on his beak. He had explained almost all of the occurrences with Sora since they had found him back in Twilight Town. During this whole explanation, the others remained silent, listening intently on how the duck elaborated on each event, from the attack at the train station, all the way to witnessing both Roxas and Axel being mauled by the corrupt teenager. Why, the feathery magician even mentioned the little things, like the way he walked around on all fours like an animal at times. This vivid summary was more than enough to give Yen Sid and the others a picture in their minds that would last.

Yen Sid himself gazed down at Sora's sleeping form, his forehead creased and his eyes narrow. It was clear by his somber expression that he was focusing very intently on the teenager, observing his every motion, the swiping movements of his arms in his rest, his slight twitching, among other things. At the same time, Donald and Goofy wore worried expressions. To them, it was just so disturbing how someone so strong hearted could stoop to this level, becoming a fierce monstrosity, complete with a craving for hearts. The sorcerer could sense this tension in them, and he turned his bearded face towards them.

"His state is far worse than I had imagined," he explained, stroking his chin. "Not even my sorcery has enough strength to recover him completely…" He took a moment to peer down at him before returning his gaze to the two lackeys of the King. "For whatever reason, it seems that Organization XIII has truly caused that darkness buried deep within the bowels of his being to awaken and manifest itself within the boy… In order to cure him, it will require far more than mere magic tricks." Donald shrugged at this, realizing that this DID make sense. After all, magic couldn't solve EVERYTHING in the world.

Shaking his head in disapproval, the fowl said, "So what do we do? There's gotta be a way to knock some sense into him!" Simply leaving Sora like this was no good, and even a hot head like Donald knew this. There had to be a logical way to help him…somehow. However, the three fellow magicians didn't look so content about this. Their visages were all tense, puzzled, and all around unpleasant. This was far more than they could handle, as it was more than a spell or curse.

For a moment, the room remained quiet, as the trio of magic folk quietly huddled together, whispering amongst themselves, Yen Sid being the leader of the conversation, so to speak. The threesome spoke of Sora's condition, a means of keeping him restrained, and also any possible way of researching a cure. All the while, the poultry mage and the defender simply exchanged puzzled glances, the former tapping his large webbed foot. Just what were they up to, and why was it so secret? Both couldn't help but wonder why this had to be kept secret…

"Gawrsh," Goofy pondered quietly to his comrade, as he watched this sight before him, "I wonder what they're talkin' about. Hope it's good, though." Nodding, the feathery ball of fury scowled, a tad annoyed by this. This whole ordeal was taking far too long, and they had a mission to attend to for crying out loud! Why couldn't things be quick and easy?

He sighed, replying, "Who knows? But I'm getting tired of this! Who KNOWS what the King would say?!" Goofy giggled at this, but aside from that, he remained pretty quiet. At this, Donald merely rolled his large, sky blue eyes, turning his attention back to his fellow mages. This time when he looked, though, he found that they were no longer whispering amongst themselves, but rather, they were all focused on Sora, their wands, or in Yen Sid's case, merely his hands, at the ready to perform some sort of spell. Hopefully, to Donald at least, it would be something useful…

Smiling at the two assistants of King Mickey, the Fairy Godmother exclaimed, "Now, dearies, we've decided to use a spark of magic on the poor child for the time being." She turned her attention back to the teenager, while she waited for the approving gesture. When Yen Sid simply nodded, she, along with her colleagues, stepped back slightly, the two with the wands waving said sticks while the sorcerer merely waved hands. Upon doing so, a strange, periwinkle source of light began to form, starting as an orb and becoming a beam of sorts. When it was at its highest concentration, it flew towards Sora.

Said magic began to circle the boy, forming what appeared to be a spherical shape. Both Donald and Goofy simply watched this, as the aura became more and more solid, starting to look as if it were a bubble of sorts, complete with a surreal gleam. However, there was a profound source of power emanating from this strange circle, almost like it was keeping anything from going out or in. This, of course, was a type of shield which clearly was being used to contain Sora, considering his aggressive behavior.

Still, this was incredible. By the looks of things, this barrier was strong enough to even prevent the portaling that nobodies and heartless specialized in. The reason it was so strong was obviously due to the fact that three master magicians had pitched in for this high concentration of power. Eyes wide, Sora's two pals could only stare in awe at this. What could they say? It was, well, a sudden surprise if anything…

Curious, Donald strutted towards the barrier with fascination. He took his mage staff and made an attempt to whack the shield. However, upon making contact with the bubble, said weapon bounced back, hitting the talking poultry in the face. Groaning, he lifted it again, this time with the tip glowing red with heat. He was pretty much just trying to see how strong it was. But, when the weapon, flame spell and all, recoiled once more, the fowl surrendered. "WAH!" he shouted, a tad irritated, yet impressed all the same. "How…how did ya do that?!"

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

Leon continued stepping closer to Axel, his arms crossed and his scarred visage painted with suspicion. Just the mere fact that a member of Organization XIII had been traveling with Donald and Goofy just didn't seem right to him. His deep, intelligent eyes were fixed on the Flurry of the Dancing Flames, skimming him over, from top to bottom, just to make sure he wasn't carting around a weapon. Both of his fists were clenched tightly, ready to do anything drastic, if the nobody were to recoil. To say the least, Squall Leonheart was apprehensive and prepared to stop any madness inside the premises.

Axel, of course, was unphased by the movements and seemingly fearsome glare of Leon. Instead of looking even slightly bothered, he simply stood in place, a smug grin spread widely across his facade, as he was very amused by the aggression the young adult was directing towards him. When Roxas shot him uncertain glances, VIII simply shrugged, not worried about this. "Sheesh," he said, crossing both of his lean arms, keeping his composure, "I just get here and you start jumping at me like I'm some threat. Not that I'm safe or anything, but c'mon, you'd think the King's lackeys would know who to trust. Got it memorized?"

"Don't mess with me, nobody!" Leon snapped in return, clearly unamused by Axel's nature. He stepped even closer to the tall, lean being, until he was just a foot away, staring directly at his jade eyes. Despite being shorter, the young man still looked as dangerous as ten daggers stabbing someone in the gut, cutting them to bits. He growled at his adversary, adding, "I know all about you and your Organization! You fill our town with heartless and send in the Tonberries to keep us in place! It's bad enough that you became empty shells, but you're putting everyone else in danger!"

Roxas shifted uncomfortably behind Axel, as he watched his closest friend simply tease and taunt the leader of the committee as if he were a mere kid. Something just told the young teenager that there would be a HUGE problem if Leon got ticked enough. At this, he cringed slightly before gazing around the rest of the room. To his surprise, the others weren't so fond of this either. Aeris and Scrooge both muttered to each other about the temper problems of Leon's, and how he needed to take more things into consideration, while Yuffie and Cid just stared, unsure of what to do. _At least, _thought the Key of Destiny, sighing with relief, _I'm not the only one who thinks they're **both** going too far here…_

"Look, I aint here to argue," Axel continued, rolling his narrow, cat-like eyes, still keeping his cool, for the most part. "I'm here with the kid, Roxas. We're best friends. Got it memorized? I can't help it if I used to hang with the wrong crowd." This was true, in a sense. Just because the pyromaniac had once been a member of the Organization didn't mean that he was still a cold, relentless beast, so to speak. Rather, he was merely a sarcastic kinda guy who was a bit clever. "If you don't believe me, ask him yourself."

Looking down towards Roxas, Leon asked, "Is this true, Roxas?" At this, the blonde merely nodded, a tad unnerved by all this.

"Yeah," he replied, looking towards the Gunblade wielder, "we really are best friends." He looked towards Axel for a moment, finding his pal simply smirking away. "Sure, he looks like a member of Organization XIII, but…uh…he's not. He just…well, he has the same taste in clothing. Nothing to stress over, really." Shrugging, he went back to being quiet, as he observed Leon simply looking towards VIII, and back to him. On the plus side, however, he DID seem to be a bit less tense about the red head.

Finally, Leon said, "Alright. I'll trust you, since you were a help last time you were here…" He still was suspicious about Axel, sure, but if Roxas could openly say that he was his best friend, then why bother hating? Besides, the dual wielder HAD been a help before, and even though he too was a bit odd, there was no point in quarreling over such meager things. "Anyway," he added, "I _was_ going to talk to you about Sora and some other things, but I guess right now isn't the best time…"

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

Outside, in the Borough, things were far from social. Not a single being stood in the road, nor were there any heartless, Tonberries, or the likes. Each of the barren buildings stood still, like statues, without even a single light, aside from Merlin's, of course, and even the air seemed cold and lifeless. Riku was surprised, to say the least, that this was the same Hollow Bastion he had visited a year ago, back when he had done so many wrongs. It was just…the whole atmosphere seemed so different that it was almost like a brand new place!

Sighing, the sixteen year old found himself strolling along the barren streets, the wind blowing his head of silver locks back, his bangs tossed astray as he ambled closer to what appeared to be a lone house a few yards away. For a moment, he paused, his yellowed eyes examining the sight before him. He raised a gloved hand to his forehead, and attempted to get a better view. Now, from what he could see, there was a hat-shaped building, with smoke coming from the chimney, meaning that at least the place was packed, but that wasn't all he saw. Rather, sitting outside the door was a blocky, though somewhat sleek, structure, clearly visible due to its vibrant red colors. Obviously this was nothing short of a Gummi ship, considering the cubed shape and design.

_Heh, _he thought as he proceeded towards the cabin in the distance, _I guess they're closer than I thought. Leave it to Sora's friends to be just plain obvious. _From what Riku had seen of Donald and Goofy, even if it hadn't been much at all, they did seem like the rather naïve types at times. Then again, this was very likely due to the fact that they hung out with Sora on a constant basis, which was enough to drive ANYONE crazy, really. Either way, Riku was glad to have finally found the right place, though one could say that he wasn't too eager to intrude on whatever was going on indoors.

It didn't take much longer for the teen to find himself a few feet from the house, and the Gummi ship which looked as if it had _just_ been set outside; the Borough wasn't exactly the hugest place in Hollow Bastion, after all. Riku took a moment to glance to the house and back to the vehicle, debating on what to do. He had two options, really. One was to simply barge in regardless, but that would likely cause an unnecessary uproar. This concept made him shake his head in disapproval. As for the other choice…well, what Riku could do is open the Gummi Ship, sneak into the back, and wait for the others to stop at a world. It would work decently enough.

Eyeing the door, Riku reached out for the handle, gripping it tightly, only to find that it was unlocked, fortunately. He gave a slight sigh of relief all before opening up the cockpit entrance and peering inside the large vehicle. To say the least, he was surprised, mostly because he had never seen a Gummi Ship before. The way all of the various buttons, each with their own shape and color, were arranged, or even the way the wide radar screen beeped was totally new. Curiosity aside, though, the sixteen year old stepped inside hastily, slamming the door behind him. Now all he'd have to do was find a proper hiding place for the time being…

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

"Ok, everybody, looks like it's time to be movin' on!"

Out of the basement stairway stepped both Donald and Goofy. From the looks of things, however, they weren't the most satisfied with whatever had occurred. The poultry mage wore an unamused frown, accompanied with a strange, irate glimmer in his eyes. Goofy too wasn't so chipper either, simply looking a tad mellow, his large eyes scanning the scenery. Both Roxas and Axel could only ponder over what had just gone on in that basement. After all, one would think that three magicians would be able to handle Sora. Of course, this was clearly not the case.

Roxas tilted his head of spiked blonde hair, a tad puzzled. Was he missing something? Why, both of the King's lackeys hadn't even mentioned Sora, just that they were going to leave! In an attempt to figure out what was up, the fifteen year old exclaimed, "Wait a sec! We're here for, what? A half hour? Yet, here you guys are, leaving already? I guess that Sora's stuck like this, huh?" When both Donald and Goofy nodded, the Key of Destiny gave a slight groan. Why did things have to be so difficult? That's one thing he just didn't get…

Like his pal, Axel wasn't amused either. All he wanted was to take Roxas somewhere AWAY from the Keybearer, so they could just hang out like they used to without any interruptions, and yet here he was, being dragged along on some 'goody goody' mission without a say in any of this. He stepped towards the duo, shaking his head. Things just weren't going the way he had expected, to say the least. "So," he said, "we're just giving up? C'mon, how're we supposed to cure the kid if we just flee like cowards? Makes no sense, if you ask me…"

Donald merely shook his feathered head at the nobody's remark and replied, "No, no. It's not like that. Master Yen Sid and the others are gonna be researching a cure for Sora, and they told us to go ahead and finish up our mission back at the Beast's castle. We DID leave without stopping Organization XIII…" Goofy nodded, his muzzle coated in a pleasant smile, as he stood there next to his pal.

"Yup!" he added, giving a slight chuckle. "We're gonna go on back to that other world and help 'em! But…uh…" He stopped for a moment, looking downwards towards Donald, somewhat puzzled. There was one thing that they failed to take note of, and that was a Gummi Ship. Sure, they could easily go by portal, but that would probably be too obvious. So, the canine simply mumbled, "Gawrsh, Donald, how're we gonna get outta here when we left the ship back in Twilight Town? 'Cuz, once Sora's back to normal, we won't be able to go by portal. Nope, we're gonna have ta do things the hard way. A-hyuck!"

A creaking sound could be heard from behind, as Cid spun around in his chair, facing the group, a smug look on his face. "Don't you be worrying about any old ship," he explained, rolling his eyes. "I've gotcha set up with one of my latest models outside. Flies like a bird, she does. A real beauty too. You should be glad I'm this generous in offerin' you another Gummi, though," here he stopped and narrowed his gaze. "You've already held me up with all yer crazy piloting! Next time, you're on yer own."

Nodding, Donald simply exclaimed, "Thank GOODNESS!" with a salute. "I was starting to worry about even MORE delay in the mission!" He turned to Goofy, who was giggling with glee. It certainly WAS a good thing to have Cid around.

"Thank ya, Cid!" shouted the canine, heading towards the door. "Guess I'll just have to remind Donald not ta mess around." The duck sent a glare at his friend for this, of course, considering that he had just been mildly insulted by the defender. Though, because now was not the time for arguments, he merely stopped at that, turning towards both Roxas and Axel, who had been listening this whole time.

"Anyway," he announced, following his comrade, "let's go. We don't have time to mess around, got it?" Axel snickered at the magician and nodded, leisurely ambling on towards the entrance.

"Yeah, sure," he remarked, keeping his smug looks as usual. He didn't exactly care about what Donald thought, considering his only friend was Roxas himself. The fire loving nobody shook his head all before motioning for XIII to get one with it. If he had to hang around for this trip, there was no way he was going to let his pal slow things down. Of course, Roxas gladly obliged, as he made his way towards his friend, and the two simply followed Donald and Goofy outdoors, closing the wooden door tightly behind them.

Now, standing before them was a shiny, new Gummi, complete with a vibrant red coat. Like most Gummis, it kept the basic blocky structure, but what was different about this one was its size. Why, to see the top, both Goofy and Axel had to look upwards, and that was saying a lot considering their heights. The entire structure was rather lean, clearly built for traveling at high speeds, complete with long, aerodynamic wings on the sides, though it was bulky enough to have decent defense, especially in the front area. Plus, the paint job was a lot like fire itself. To this, VIII smirked, admittedly impressed by this vehicle; one could just say that it was 'his style'.

"Alright, alright," he said, still staring at the vehicle, "I admit this ride's pretty sweet. Better than using some giant square. But…eh, I'd rather travel by portal still. Just my thing, y'know." Roxas forced a slight giggle at this, quite amused by his friend's behavior. It wasn't like him to compliment on something as simple as a Gummi ship, after all.

"How like you, Axel," he sniggered, stepping closer to the vessel. "Gummi ships aren't _that_ bad. I should know, since I have Sora's—" He stopped, quickly taking back what he just said and instead muttering, "Er…what I mean is, since I have Sora's friends to think for taking me away from that castle. Yeah…" Hopefully Donald and Goofy didn't catch onto what he had nearly revealed. The fact that he almost blatantly gave away that he had Sora's memories was enough to drive any nobody mad. Fortunately, however, such was not the case.

In actuality, the poultry mage merely tapped his large, webbed foot in annoyance. Judging by the way he glared at the two nobodies, he was growing quite impatient with all this rambling, which was pretty predictable for him. "Ok, ok," he groaned, pointing a feathered finger towards the entrance of the door, "enough of this. We're goin' by ship, like or not, so get in already." With that, both he and Goofy entered the vehicle, leaving the door wide open for the two buddies to enter. They both passed each other glances, agreeing on entering, though Axel was a tad reluctant, before stepping in as well.

Little did the group realize, though, they were not alone…

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Beast's Castle: The Beast's Room**_

The Beast's room was a total mess. Tables, dressers, and other furniture were tossed aside, and claw marks were clearly visible along the walls. Debris lined the ones lovely carpet, and there was no sign of sanity within the vicinity. The only object that was in remotely decent shape was the table which had once held the rose…at least, until Zexion had snatched it away. Due to this sudden disappearance, the Beast was darting in circles around his bedroom, swinging his powerful fists at anything that got in his way. His claws ripped and tore at the wallpaper, his brute strength sent a crack through the window. Why, this whole scene was gruesome and awful…though Marluxia and Zexion found it quite amusing.

Both nobodies stood on the far end of the room, observing the creature causing massive destruction in his own living space. The way he had become so desperate was just, well, entertaining to them both, or at least, as entertaining as things could get for nobodies. Zex himself seemed the most amused, however, complete with a wide, beaming expression of twisted delight, as his eyes glimmered in fascination. Marluxia, on the other hand, simply stood still, twirling a rose within his grasp, though it was obviously not the same one that the Beast held dear.

"_It's deplorable," _said the Cloaked Schemer, eyeing the former prince with quite the cynical expression. "_To think, the Keybearer, of all beings, would steal your precious rose is so farfetched, and yet…it only makes sense. Isn't that right, XI?" _He looked up towards Marluxia, who nodded in agreement to the young nobody's explanation. Anything to further arouse the Beast was highly necessary for the Organization, and thus this lie had been whittled up at the last minute.

Holding his rose forward, the Graceful Assassin simply exclaimed, "_Yes, the boy truly has lost his touch. However, such happens when people become hungry for power, lusting for whatever they can obtain…" _His deep, blue eyes made contact with the surface of the table, as he continued, "_Even a mere flower with such surreal beauty can contain as much power as a powerful weapon, or perhaps something greater. I'm quite certain that the child heard about this immortal rose and took whatever chance he could to swipe it away from your clawed clutches." _

Stopping for a moment, the Beast forced a nod, though this explanation hadn't brightened the mood in the least. Rather, the already slouched monstrosity's rage increased, which was certainly a terrible sign. First and foremost, his anger beforehand had shifted his appearance slightly, his more vicious features, such as his fangs and claws becoming more prominent, while any signs of tenderness in his glittering eyes vanished, leaving raw fury and distaste. What was once a young prince inside the body of a monster was now nothing but a step away from a heartless. It wouldn't be long now until he lost any signs of sanity altogether…

This moment of silence didn't last long, however, and within a few seconds, the Beast leapt forward once more, his sharp claws clinging to the wall, as he hung in place, kicking at it with his hind legs. His mouth opened wide, as he let out a loud, thundering roar. Why, it seemed as if there was no hope in restoring the Beast now. With Zexion's clever illusions, and the lack of the rose, what was there to keep his spirits up? Really, he had no reason to stay calm and sane any longer…

Pleased by this progress, Zexion turned away from both his 'ally' and the monster himself. Despite the fact that he had just returned from his little visit on Destiny Islands, the Cloaked Schemer still had much to do, so it seemed. Briefly, he shot Marluxia a glance, signaling him to continue dealing with the large mass of fur, and when he got a positive response, VI figured there was no further sense in staying here. The all to familiar wisps of the shadows rose up to greet Zexion's being, reaching up and grabbing him, as his entire body became shrouded in darkness.

When he reappeared, Zex found himself inside the Library once more, where a certain Savage Nymph sat, reading a thick novel on execution in mid evil periods. Clearly by the look of her twisted grin accompanied by that sadistic gleam in her eyes she was thoroughly enjoying this to the extent her empty being could. In fact, she was so wrapped up in digging through the compilation of thoughts that she failed to notice the sixth member standing but a foot away from her, looking down with a malicious air in his presence.

"_Why hello there, Lightning Roach," _he snickered, waiting to see her response. Fortunately, he didn't have very long to wait, as he found the rather aggressive member instantly slamming the book right in Zex's face, her gaze shifting up to his and locking on, a stern frown now painted along her facade. Obviously, she was nowhere near as amused as the Cloaked Schemer in his antics.

"_Where were you?!" _she snarled, looking quite tense. "_While you were out doing WHATEVER it is freaks like you enjoy, Flower Boy and I had to deal with those stinking prisoners on our own. Oh, and the Beast wasn't so happy about your stunt, shorty." _Growling, Zexion rubbed his face, rolling his eyes at the electric sadist.

Picking up the book off the ground, VI replied, "_For your information, I was attending to important matters. Honestly, Larxene, did you expect anything less? Besides, I knew you wouldn't try anything… You still are so desperate in finding out just what I'm up to." _He reached into his pocket slyly, pulling out his little paper, waving it around in a taunting manner. "_Curiosity is a dangerous thing, Larxene. I do hope you understand that… Though, technically you…we… are unable to feel, yet here you are, acting out in supposed anger."_

"_Like I care about that stupid 'no emotions' deal," _retorted the snobbish twelfth member, looking cross still. "_Besides, what can I say, twerp? You have me interested…which is saying a lot. So, whatever it is you're planning better be good, or I might have to finish what that Replica started. Just because he left you alone doesn't mean I would." _At this, she actually smiled, though it was a maniacal one, as opposed to a true grin. How typical of the Savage Nymph.

"_I'll take that into consideration then," _sniggered Zex, picking up the Savage Nymph's book. "_Now then, I believe you had best return to the dungeon, hm? I can already smell the scent of the Keybearer's friends and…Riku… This should certainly be amusing, considering my increase in abilities. And then there's…Axel…" _The mentioning of Axel was a curious thing, as it struck the interest of the twelfth member, her visage contorting into a sinister expression. She managed to push herself up from the couch, _quite_ interesting.

In a fiery tone, Larxene mused, "_Axel, eh?" _To this, Zex simply nodded. _This'll be fun then… I still have to 'thank' him for ruining the plans at Castle Oblivion…" _Zexion smirked at the girl's antics. After all, he wasn't fond of Axel either…

"_Please do," _he said, taking her place on the couch. "_After all, his treason and disrespect almost lead to my demise. Therefore, I expect you to give him no mercy. Not that it would be a problem for you, correct?" _She shrugged, reluctantly agreeing with his logic. Axel _had_ been a bother back in the Castle, considering the fact that he was attempting to eliminate all of the traitors, meaning that, eventually, even Larxene would end up on his hit list. So, as far as she was concerned, he deserved the worst possible torment. Besides, she loved torture as it were.

"_I'll keep that in mind, Zex. Believe me, I will…" _And with that, the Savage Nymph merely turned away from Zexion in order to, as he had instructed, return to the dungeon. However, this time she was actually looking forward to having some 'fun' with the Keybearer's friends, along with VIII himself. In fact, as she vanished into the depths of the darkened portal, it was blatantly obvious by her kunai clutched in hand that she'd attack without a moment's notice, just as she had done when Roxas was trapped within the castle…

_It's all coming together, isn't it, XII? Heh…_

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Beast's Castle: Entrance**_

The group of heroes, and Axel, entered the main hall of the castle in a rather casual manner. Why, as their stepped along the long, violet carpets, they made scarcely any sound. Obviously, there was nobody around this area either, aside from themselves, since the objects from before were in the dungeon. Regardless, if anyone was interested in this desolate place, it was the Flurry of the Dancing Flames himself. In fact, his emerald eyes surveyed each pillar, along with the two staircases along the sides. Compared to the Castle that Never was, this place was so…pathetic.

Little did they realize, they were indeed being followed very closely by Riku himself, who stood behind both Axel and Roxas without making a sound. His hood was still down, revealing his rather darkened features, along with his eyes, glittering in the darkness of the main chamber of this manor. He followed the group, like a shadow, unseen and unheard, as he watched them converse about what they were going to accomplish. Donald was the first to speak, sounding explanatory, to say the least.

"Alright," he said, marching forward with his wand waving about in his grasp, "it looks like whatever happened last time's been totally undone. Though, I guess that's what happens when ya leave Organization XIII without doing damage control. So, I say we should split up, like we did last time. Sound good?" Both Axel and Roxas nodded, the former of the two GLAD to be given the chance to separate from the two flunkies of King Mickey. Anything to get some space was good enough to him. Riku, on the other hand, remained in place, watching from behind the eighth member.

"I'll go with Roxas," Axel said bluntly, looking about. "After all, I know him better than you guys. Plus, it'd give us time to chat about certain things. Got it memorized?" Donald shrugged, not really caring. Right now, he just wanted to get things over with, and fast. Sora had held them up as it was.

"Whatever," groaned the oversized piece of poultry, sighing. "Just don't do anything fishy…" For a moment, he considered trotting off at that, but…something didn't feel right. He peered up at his comrade, Goofy, only to find that the canine himself had an uneasy look on his mug. There was just this strange essence filling the room, and even such a closed-minded being such as Donald could feel this. Puzzled, he added, "Wait a sec… Something's suspicious…" Roxas raised a brow at this, completely oblivious to the antics of the two large animals.

Scratching his head, he asked, "What do you mean? I sure don't see anything weird. No heartless, no nobodies, nothing. Unless I'm missing the point here…" Riku watched them all carefully, still well hidden for now, since Axel was still in place. However, the fact that both Donald and Goofy could sense him there wasn't exactly what he wanted. But, then again, he came all this way for a reason, so why was he hiding? Shaking his head, the teen decided to make himself known…

"Look," he said, walking out from behind the pyromaniac, only to receive VERY confused stares from those surrounding him, "I'm not trying anything suspicious, and I'm not—" He was, of course, interrupted, when a certain magical fowl charged towards him.

"HEARTLESS!" Donald shouted, hitting his staff against Riku's boot. This sudden assault caused the silver haired boy to leap backwards slightly, cringing at the pain in his foot. "What're you doin' following us?! We don't need any more distractions!" _WHAM! _Again, Riku found himself being nailed in the lower area by this rabid ball of feathers. Goofy watched this in interest, tilting his head. Something didn't seem right about Riku...

Scratching his nose, the canine said, "Gawrsh, Donald, are ya sure it's a heartless? Look at that cloak! Why, he's gotta be one of those Organization XIII fellers!" The fowl shook his head, his visage firm and uncaring. As far as he was concerned, Riku was an enemy, and that meant that he needed to be dealt with.

"He can't be a nobody!" Donald shouted, stomping angrily. "Look at him! Black face, yellow eyes! He's a heartless, and that's final!" Riku groaned, rolling his eyes at the two, though, due to having no visible pupils, it was impossible to tell. The way the two were arguing over his existence was just irking, especially when he wanted to deal with things fast. However, Roxas and Axel were both finding this entertaining, the way the two lackeys of the King were fighting over something so meager.

"Heartless!"

"Well, I say he's a nobody!"

"Well he's not…because he's a HEARTLESS!"

They just kept going on and on about this like it was some huge debate. It was almost as if figuring out what Riku was had become a new priority even greater than stopping the Organization. To this, the teen groaned, shoving past those two. If they were going to continue arguing, that was fine, but it didn't mean he'd oblige. Rather, he made his way to Roxas and Axel, looking at them both apathetically. The blonde himself wasn't exactly comforted by being this close to Riku…the one who had tried to kidnap him. In fact, he backed off slightly, looking down towards the ground, while Axel gave him a questioning glance.

He sighed, simply muttering, "Hey…Riku…" It was blatant that he wasn't so keen on speaking to Riku, even if it had been a year. Something just didn't feel right about him… But, his mentioning Riku's name DID spark some interest in the two anthromorphic animals who had been fighting over his identity. Why, they both stopped, mouths gaping open at the thought of…THAT… being Riku!

"G-gawrsh!" Goofy spat, looking amazed at this sheer strangeness. "That's Riku?!" It just didn't seem right, the way the teenager looked so much like a denizen of darkness now. Why, the last time Donald and Goofy had laid eyes on Riku was right as the door to Kingdom Hearts had been closing, and he looked NOTHING like THIS. Of course, Riku rolled his eyes again, though this was difficult to see, and simply looked up at the ceiling, while Axel grinned with pleasure at this sight, amused by the idiocy of Sora's peers.

"Who else would it be?" snapped the Flurry of the Dancing Flames, tossing a small flame up and down. "Really, is there any other runt who has THAT hair? I think not. Besides, if he _were_ a heartless, you'd think the kid would've gone straight for ya already. In other words, a heartless would have a lot more nerve than Riku. Got it memorized?" To that last statement, Riku grumbled, though he was pleased to see that at least SOMEONE was on his side of the argument. Besides, he didn't have time to deal with all this right now.

Still a tad annoyed, Riku said, "AS I was saying, I'm here because the King told me about Sora… I couldn't just sit there when my best friend was in danger, so here I am, in the middle of this castle. Happy now?" He sighed, hoping that this would be over and done so he could help his best friend before he got any worse. The way all of these guys were just dawdling just didn't impress Riku in the least, not to mention that the Organization _was_ still doing whatever it took to turn the Beast into a heartless. All in all, this small talk was getting nowhere.

Donald himself stared at Riku in fascination. The way he had mentioned a cure seemed hopefully, not to mention a VERY huge plus for them. Curious, he mused, "A cure, eh? Well, in that case, what IS it? We've had enough of Sora behaving like a heartless!" His staff waved around frantically as he waited for Riku to spill the beans. All of this suspense was beginning to get on his nerves, and the fact that magic couldn't help him, yet Sora's best friend COULD seemed odd. Riku shrugged, though, figuring that he might as well say it quick and simple.

"…I have to absorb his darkness…" There. He said it. It was simple enough really. However, each of them, well, spare Axel, grew tense at this. The whole notion of Riku taking in more darkness than he already had just didn't seem right. In appearance, he already looked as if he would lose his heart at any second, and due to past experiences, it was clear that Riku plus darkness equals trouble. Why, cure or not, this was ridiculous! Even if Sora DID return to normal wouldn't Riku just become worse?

Angrily, Donald shouted, "Just wait a minute! You mean to tell me that you're gonna take the darkness?!" Riku nodded, not saying a word, which made the poultry mage stomp his large, webbed foot in frustration. "WAH! Are you NUTS?! If you do THAT, who's to say that YOU won't end up WORSE than Sora?!" The silver haired teenager sighed, looking solemn and very certain on his decision.

"I know what could happen," Riku said, keeping his mind set on his ideal way to cure his friend. "It could be risky, and maybe it IS a bit stupid on my part. But, it's the only way to help Sora. Besides, I've dealt with darkness enough times to be able to handle this. Ansem, anyone?" To this, Donald paused, eyeing Goofy, who merely shrugged. Neither really liked this whole notion of absorbing the darkness, but at the same time, there didn't really appear to be any alternatives. It was either this, or letting Yen Sid and the others research, but that could take AGES. Crazy or not, Riku seemed to know what he was doing.

Finally, the mage of Disney Castle decided to accept this offer. He gave a slight smirk, stating, "Alright, it's a deal. But you BETTER not screw this up. Why, if you even THINK of taking this back…I'll…I'll…" He growled in anger at the mere _thought_ of this whole thing going awry, which actually caused the others, especially Axel, to snigger.

Grinning wildly, VIII exclaimed, "You'll what? Use your cheap magic tricks to pull a rabbit out of a hat? C'mon, Riku may be dense, but he's a smart kid. Besides, you don't want Sora to get _too_ homicidal, right?" That statement sure didn't help with the fowl's mood, and, in fact, it led to his snow white feathers turning beat red in frustration, as Goofy tried to calm him down. Roxas and Riku both watched this scene, though, unlike a certain red head, they weren't as amused. And why should they have been? After all, they were stalling like crazy.

Groaning, Roxas said, "Guys, c'mon. We can save all this for later… I'd kind of like to get this thing over with. Besides, while we're here stalling, the Beast's probably close to being a heartless… As much as I hate to admit it, even Axel's slowing us down." Puzzled at his friend, the pyro gave an appalled glance, unsure why his own comrade would shoot him down like that. However, the blonde did have some sense in him, enough to even calm down the flaming fury of Donald Duck, which was saying a lot right there. In fact, said featherbag gave an expression of concern and agreement, and he even ceased to flail his arms about.

"You're right," alleged the poultry mage, tucking his staff away for the moment. "We've got a mission, and there's no time to chat like palookas. Besides, there's three members of the Organization here, meaning we've got a problem. So, let's get this over with and split up!" The others, even Axel, showed agreement to this. However, Riku WAS quite astonished about the whole three members thing. It seemed as if Organization XIII really _was_ putting an effort into their work by sending multiple members around.

Intrigued, Riku mused, "Three members, eh? I guess Organization XIII's really gone paranoid about this, huh? Well, in that case, I'll go ahead and look around this place a bit, though I'd rather go alone if that's alright." Both of the King's lackeys nodded, approving Riku's lone wolf approach, and the teen added, "Anyway, I'll be heading for the library or something. I mean, a castle like this is bound to have one, right? It'd be the least expected place to find one of them, which is all the better reason to pick it."

"Sounds like a plan ta me," Goofy chortled, giving a thumbs up. He stood up tall, grabbing his round shield and added, "As for us, I guess we'll be heading for the Beast's room. We kinda know 'im from way back in Hollow Bastion, so I guess that means Axel and Roxas get to go to the dungeon, since they said they'd go together anyway. Hope that one lady's not there, though. A-hyuck." Axel paused at Goofy's mention of the dungeon, and, more precisely, the "one lady". It seemed odd of him to mention a lady aside from the princess of heart. After all, who else could it be? Larxene? That wouldn't make sense, since she was dead, or so Axel thought, at least…

Mystified, he exclaimed, "Well, I don't really get this whole 'lady' thing, but I'll go, especially if it means getting away from you two idiots. Though, don't expect us to take our time with this. When I do things, I do it quick and with _style_. Got it memorized?" When the others agreed, it was clear that they were ready to leave. Donald already had his mage staff in hand, all prepared for any necessary persuasion, not to mention offensive tactics, should a member of Organization XIII be there waiting. The same could be said for his canine companion, whose visage was now creased with a ready gaze, looking actually somewhat serious for once. Riku merely summoned his Soul Eater, with a flash of purplish aura no less, while Roxas fetched his Kingdom Key out of thin air. The only one who didn't ready his weapons was Axel, who didn't seem so concerned about this for now.

With all this said, they each broke off into groups. As they had said, Donald and Goofy stuck together, wandering upwards, towards the West Wing of the castle, hoping that they weren't too late to deal with the Beast. At the same time, Roxas and his fiery ally opened up a portal, the same one that any nobody could use, and they stepped inside, as, though the dungeon was near the West Wing, they didn't exactly wish to follow the two talking animals further. As for Riku, well, he simply trudged off towards the hall which would lead him to the library, all in hopes of finding at least _someone_ from Organization XIII.

**End Part 1**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**AN: **Anyway, part 2 will be up shortly. I just have to finish up one more fight scene, and then I'll post it. But, after this, the Beast's Castle world will be handled. True, I could have done more with it, but I kinda want to continue the main plot. Hope that's alright.


	21. Still More Fighting

And here's part two, folks, with three fights going on at once. :x So, I apologize if things seem too jumpy, but I wanted to cover all three scenes at once…

**Part 2: Still more Fighting**

_**In the Dungeon**_

Once again, the deep, colorless chasms of the Dungeon were lined with white hot surges of electricity. Each and every one of the prisoners, from Ms. Potts to Lumiére had to avoid being shot down by the terrifying power of the Savage Nymph. The wardrobe screeched, as she hobbled about, complaining on how this couldn't be good for her complexion, while Coggsworth ranted and raved about how furious the 'master' would be when he found out. Belle herself merely sobbed, fearing the rage of the blonde haired female cackling in false glee, as her kunai bounced around the walls.

"_What's wrong, scared of a little lighting?" _Larxene snickered, tossing another one of her sharp weapons at the stone wall, causing it to bounce forward and just narrowly miss nailing Coggsworth in his lower region. "_I tell you, even Naminé wasn't as fun to torment as you freaks! Watching you all squeal like babies is just too priceless!" _Again, she gave a maniacal snigger before chucking another kunai after another, leading to every prisoner but Belle, who sat on the floor looking miserable, to dash about like chickens on a chicken farm. However, this wouldn't last very long.

In the corner of the room, Axel's portal opened, though it was quite silent and unnoticed by the naughty Nymph who was preoccupied with tormenting household objects who just so happened to possess the ability to speak. The two partners in crime stepped out of their little gateway, only to see sparks flying about, strands of high voltage lining the sides of the chamber, and, of course, kunai flying about like bouncy balls. VIII himself looked, well, AMAZED. There, in the center of the room was Larxene, who was _alive. _That alone was enough to surprise him.

Roxas sighed quietly at this, turning to his friend and whispering, "Never mind that, Axel. She doesn't see us right now, so let's have some fun with this. I could use a bit of payback after what she did last time." The hothead remained a bit confused at all this, but he couldn't help but agree. Sure, it was crazy to find Larxene alive, but right now they had to focus on the main goal, which was getting this done so they could cure Sora and LEAVE. That said, VIII reached out both arms, as a bright array of oranges, reds, and yellows in the form of flames materialized into his dual chakrams. He leaned back, flinging both weapons forward, as Roxas charged, his Kingdom Key ready to make contact with that heartless mistress's spine.

To say the least, Larxene wasn't expecting the sharp ends of two flying disks, let alone the pressure of an oversized key, to knock her forward without even a chance to think. Her very being was tossed forth, the back and of her cloak singing, due to the heat of Axel's attack, and it wasn't long before she was caught in her own electricity. Though this didn't necessarily hurt her as much as the dual weapons or Roxas' key, it _did_ give the prisoners, and even Belle, the chance to move out of the way. However, that didn't exactly matter to XII anymore. Right now, her eyes were locked on both Axel and Roxas, a wide beaming smirk spreading like wildfire, her eyes glittering with mischief.

"_Well, what a **pleasant** surprise," _she exclaimed, pulling her somewhat scorched self away from her lightning wall. "_If it isn't the little Keybearer that never was, and Axel?_ _You have **got **to be kidding me. He's got **you** playing hero now? How unlike you, spiky." _She continued to smirk, as VIII simply stared, amazed that, even now, the Savage Nymph hadn't changed in the least. Despite being taken down by Sora, among other things, she still retained her snappy attitude and sadistic disposition. Though, he figured that he might as well play along in this banter of sorts, thus Axel too began to grin.

"What can I say, sparky?" he snickered, "Organization XIII just isn't my thing anymore. Besides, who said I was a hero? Just because I'm helping my pal here doesn't mean I'm still not the same fiery jerk from before. Besides…" here he paused, grabbing his chakrams, which had conveniently made it back into his gloved hands, "I always wanted to do…THIS!" _WHOOSH! _Both chakrams shot forward again, but this time with a path of blazing flames trailing closely behind, ready to nail the traitorous member with incredible heat. To this, she simply cackled again, all before warping above the two, with her kunai at the ready, causing the two spiked Frisbees to ricochet back and nail ROXAS, who was flung right into his ally's chest.

"_As much as I'd **love** to sit around and let you have your payback for what Flower Boy and I did back at the big white castle, I think I'll pass on this one," _Larxene giggled, tossing her knife-like weapons downward, though this time they were sparking like mad. Why, Both Axel and his now ignited partner didn't even have time to come up with a decent comeback before rolling to the side. When this happened, the sharp weapons bounced up and down from ceiling to floor, though that didn't stop Larxene from unleashing ANOTHER array of kunai.

Roxas' eyes widened, as he pulled himself to his feet, dodge rolling in order to avoid his attacker's assault. His body burnt from Axel's chakrams, yes, but right now, he would have to focus on the main goal, which was fighting. Groaning, he held up his Keyblade and gave a running jump, while VIII tossed both chakrams again. Sadly, just as last time she had been confronted in this very area, XII continued to teleport herself about without hesitation, making both weapons, again fly back. Though, this time, both were prepared enough to leap out of the way, leaving the weapons on the ground.

This wasn't working at all. As they fought Larxene, the two were missing the big point, and that was the fact that they failed to pay attention to the buzzing in the air. Why, last time they fought, Roxas had been able to nail her _because_ he used his head instead of simply being offensive. Looking to Axel, he quickly exclaimed, "Hold on, I know what to d—" before he found himself being grabbed by XII and flung down at the static wall, his being surged with an immense concentration of high volts. But that wasn't all. Following this, she shot down an assortment of lightning at VIII, who had been too stunned by this attack on Roxas, not to mention being evasive, to notice until it was too late.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**The Library**_

Seated at the table in the middle of the library was, of course, Zexion, whose eyes were glued on what appeared to be an old, not to mention lengthy book. This novel wasn't of the library, though, as it was clearly filled with information that could not be uncovered within the boundaries of this world, not to mention that much of the writing appeared fresh. This was because, well, the book belonged to the Cloaked Schemer himself, who was busy looking over the countless pages, keeping himself occupied for the time being.

_Riku should be arriving soon, _he thought as he flipped another page idly. _His scent has grown much stronger than it was the last time we met… Now it reeks of the very darkness he feared. Quite ironic, to say the least. _To this, he gave a slight, although quiet, laugh, amused by the logic of this whole charade with Riku. Back at Castle Oblivion, he had been fighting _against_ the darkness for so long, yet, here he was, full of it. Then again, when they had fought back on the simulation of Destiny Islands, he had utilized the darkness as well. Therefore, while it was reeking with irony, Zexion supposed that there was some sense in this.

So, there he sat for a few minutes, analyzing his novel, as a creak sounded in the distance, from the library's entrance no less. And, just as he had contemplated, Riku emerged from the hall, his yellowed eyes examining the area, as he began to amble forward. From what it seemed, the place was far too silent to house any meeting at the moment, but, at the same time, the sixteen year old could sense that _something_, or rather, someone, was watching him from within the vicinity. His features tensed, and his grasp on the Soul Eater tightened as he stepped further inward.

Eyeing Riku with much fascination, VI's grin widened even more. No, it wasn't just because his prediction had been correct, nor the fact that he would finally get a chance to toy with the boy's mind again. Rather, it was his appearance, from his cloak to his heartless-like features. Even _if_ he had expected the boy to have changed over a year, he hadn't contemplated something on this scale. Oh, this _would_ be enjoyable. Still looking malicious, he prepared to greet his adversary.

"_Hello, Riku…" _

Instantly, Riku halted, his gaze lifting upwards only to find someone he had _never_ expected to find…alive. Though, Mickey himself had said that they all were back, from Marluxia to Lexaeus, so there was no sense in being all too surprised. Still, of all the members, Zexion was the one he hated the most, after his countless illusions and attempts at mind games. And to just see him there, flipping through a book as if nothing had happened made things even worse. "…Zexion…" he hissed, lifting up his weapon. "I'm not in the mood for any games."

"_Who said I wished to play games?" _replied the Cloaked Schemer in a casual tone. "_Why, I was simply enjoying some reading. Certainly there is no harm in that now, is there?" _Riku simply spat, not amused by this behavior of his enemy. To him it was _ridiculous_ how Zex was being so eerily quiet. The fact that he hadn't even attempted to mentally harm him yet made things worse.

"Don't try that with me," snarled the teenager, his eyes narrowing. "The King told me all about you and the others...and I'm _not_ going to let you try and take me even deeper into the darkness! Because of you, Sora…he's…" He stopped there, not wanting to finish that sentence. It was bad enough that he was face-to-face with one of the members who had helped in Sora's capture, but for it to be the single most manipulative being he had ever met only worsened the situation tenfold. Zex sniggered again at Riku's discomfort, lifting himself from the chair. He was ready to have some 'fun' with the boy.

"_Clever, aren't we?" _he mused, holding out a hand, as the lights within the area suddenly began to dim. What was once a lively library began to become a sinister chamber of knowledge, as Zexion readied himself, a purplish aura of his own materializing in his hand, hardening into a Soul Eater just like Riku's, only with a faint glow. Various books began to hover in midair as opposed to sitting along their shelves, and the whole room seemed to widen, becoming far larger than it was intended to be. Everything became distorted as well, and it seemed as if this whole place was something from a psychotic dream.

"_Very well,"_ added the sinister being, his own yellow irises glowing in this shadowed arena, the circles surrounding them now looking more sinister, "_if you honestly seek violence, vengeance, and ignorance, I suppose I mustn't decline you of your pleasure. Let me see how much you've grown in the past year…"_

Riku looked to the nobody with shock, the illusions creating such a demented area. The worst part was, this time, it seemed like this whole room was about to swallow him, books and all. Still, how could he neglect this challenge? This was his chance to get back at him for everything! Besides, he was stronger now, even if it was from the darkness. Sure, Zex was impressive with illusions, but what did it matter? Last time they fought, he won, and this time wouldn't be any different, would it? Grinning as well, the teenager held out his weapon and prepared to strike…

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**The Beast's Room**_

"_Sora and his friends wish to destroy you… they seek your rose for perfection, and they do not wish for you to return to your true form. Quite a shame, really, as they were once such **close** friends of yours."_

Still within the Beast's room, Marluxia stood by the windowsill spreading even more lies about Sora and his allies. For several minutes, he had told long, detailed lies about why the Keybearer would go so far as to snatch something so precious, even if it meant preventing him from ever returning to his true form. The funny thing was, Beast believed every word, his anger growing to enormous proportions. Even now, he was close to being a heartless. In the past few minutes, his fur had darkened in color, and his fangs had become even more sharpened than before. Even his eyes were almost pure yellow. It wouldn't be long now until he was a pawn of the darkness…

At that precise moment, the door flung open, revealing both Donald and Goofy, weapons in hand. However, they halted immediately at the sight of the angered beast before them, along with a pink haired man, dressed in Organization XIII attire, who was twirling a mere rose within his grasp. He cynically grinned at them both, as they stared at him and especially the Beast, who looked so monstrous now, not to mention ticked off. In fact, the duo hoped that they weren't already too late!

"G-gawrsh, Donald," moaned Goofy, shivering slightly at this horrid display, "we gotta do somethin'!" The fowl nodded, totally agreeing with his partner in crime, so to speak.

"_Something, hm?"_ intruded Marluxia, who was now not only holding a rose, but a card as well, one with pointed ends and a strange décor. "_It's a shame that 'something' is not enough to save yourselves from the inevitable. Why, this creature is very disappointed in you…especially your Keybearer."_ That last notion involving Sora made no sense at all to the not so dynamic duo. What did he mean by 'the inevitable'? And why was the Beast so ticked over THEM? Something wasn't right…

"What're you talkin' about?!" Donald retorted, pointing a feathered finger at Marluxia in suspicion. "We didn't do anything! Heck, last time we were here, we were HELPING him by freeing the prisoners! And Sora got KIDNAPPED…and you must be the one who did it too!" Nodding with nonexistent glee, the Graceful Assassin, fingered the card some more before tossing it at the fowl.

"_Clever, I'll admit," _he said, continuing to hold his rose as Donald examined the card in curiosity. "_However, you will find that the Beast isn't willing to listen to your pleas. Something precious to him has been stolen, much like what happened when you and the Keybearer stepped inside a certain castle." _Pointing to the card, he added, "_You should give this to him once you return him to his former sanity. Perhaps it would clarify a few things. That is, if you survive once this Beast gets his filthy clutches on you…"_

The Beast could hardly restrain himself, as he glared towards Donald and Goofy. His once peaceful nature had completely vanished, now replace with such an ill hate that even looking at him shot fear into the duo, and the way he stood, crouched down, his back arched, and his teeth bared clearly showed that he was in no mood for negotiations. Both the fowl and the Defender backed off slightly, their faces painted with worry, while Marluxia merely twirled a rose between two gloved fingers.

"_My, my" _he said, attempting to sound sympathetic, "_it seems our little Beast is in an ill mood. I cannot help but wonder what you two have done to greatly offend such a 'poor creature'." _He smirked as the all too familiar dark portal materialized within the room. "_I do believe that I have other matters to attend to, so, farewell…" _He vanished right after said statement, and the Beast charged.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_WHAM! _With the thrust of the Keyblade, Larxene found herself flying against the wall. Quite the twist of fate after the chaos that had been going on just moments before. However, Roxas had indeed remembered his strategy, the more tactile method of fighting, and due to this, both he AND Axel had been able to have a slight advantage in fighting. Once she was, again, stuck within her own web of lightning, Axel took the chance to simply toss his chakrams at her, leading to her body becoming more torched, though XII was quick to retort by sending a blast of thunder straight at them.

This time, however, they weren't so quick to evade, as both nobodies found themselves caught in an array of literally shocking power. Fortunately, though, they were both able to break free when VIII managed to counteract this with his own blazing embers. The two spells acting together led to a sudden cease in this madness, and the nobodies found themselves caught in a quiet room, each of them panting. Larxene had been growing tired from this fighting, and her skill lied in speed and vicious attacks rather than brute strength. The way she had been knocked around by the Keyblade in the gut had certainly weakened her, and, in all honesty, the Savage Nymph was unsure whether or not she would be able to continue this charade.

"Look, just let these freak show appliances go already," Axel huffed, still a bit jarred from the voltage from before. "It's obvious that you're losing your spark, and do you honestly want us to destroy you? I think not." He shrugged, as the twelfth member snarled, pushing herself to her feet. From the looks of things, she wasn't so interested in stopping this action quite yet.

"_I don't think so," _she retorted, fetching her kunai. "_I'm not about to…to…" _She didn't even know what to say. Fact was, Larxene was tuckered out from the brawl, but her stubbornness lead to persistence, meaning that, more than likely, she'd keep going 'til the end, which could have happened quite soon, if it weren't for a certain corridor of darkness forming in the corner of the room, as the eleventh member stepped out, looking quite casual. The sight of Larxene being stuck in a rut merely widened his beaming expression.

Marluxia shook his head, his deep, indigo eyes peering around. Huddled in one corner were the appliances and Belle, not to mention the Wardrobe, all trying to keep their distance from the fray, while, in the center of the enclosed room was, of course, Larxene, back arched, panting like a sick mutt. Then there was Axel, holding both of his chakrams, as if ready to strike, while Roxas held a single Keyblade at the ready. All in all, from Marluxia's perspective, things were rather one sided at the moment.

"_Well, Larxene, what **have** we been up to?" _mused the Graceful Assassin in fascination, his rose still within his grasp. "_Have that wretched Keybearer and the traitorous snake been attempting to interfere?" _When Larxene simply nodded, the eleventh member simply shrugged, looking towards Axel with a sudden vicious gleam in his eyes. "_I'm quite surprised to see you here, Axel. However, your waste of an existence shall end soon enough…" _Axel tensed up at this, hardly able to resist doing anything drastic. To see the one being he had tried to eliminate actually alive was irritating to no end.

"Oh really now?" mocked the Flurry of the Dancing flames in a sharp tone of voice. "Well, newsflash, Pinky, I may have let things slide last time, but now…Heh, let's just say I might have some fun with this…" Roxas looked up to his friend, a tad worried. Was this violence necessary? It was bad enough that Larxene was around, but now the very owner of Castle Oblivion? Surely things would get out of hand!

"Axel…" he pleaded, a concerned gaze upon his mug, "can't we just get out of here? I've got the Keyblade, so I could always just—"

"No… There isn't an easy way out of this, kid," said VIII shaking his spiky head. "Besides, who's to say that they won't just round up these guys again if we leave 'em? Sometimes you gotta fight, and I'd think you would know that…" Sighing, the blonde had to agree here. Besides, it looked like he had no choice regardless. He nodded at his fiery friend, holding his weapon at the ready, as Marluxia himself held out an arm, as a flurry of flushed pink flower petals whirled around his arm, forming a large, pink scythe which, despite its odd coloration, looked quite dangerous. At the same time, rose vines began to burst through the floor, twisting all around, lifting up each and every one of the prisoners.

At the same time, he motioned for Larxene to get out of his way, all before pointing towards Roxas. Basically, he was suggesting for the twelfth member to simply deal with the younger nobody, while he took care of Axel. At the same time, the two opposing nobodies quickly glanced at each other, all before readying themselves for the fight ahead, rose vines still engulfing the immediate area. Once he was ready to strike, VIII leapt forward, whirling his weapons about, as Marluxia held out his scythe, releasing a crescent blast. Larxene, although she was weak, managed to pull herself to her feet, tossing her kunai towards Roxas, who had been twirling his single Keyblade about.

_CHING! _Scythe met chakram, while kunai bounced around the room, causing Roxas to have to hurry and deflect each and every one. Marluxia dashed to the side as Axel attempted to torch him, and he shot his petals forward, knocking the flaming nobody back. At the same time, Roxas dove at Larxene's stomach, only to find his body being shocked with electricity. Afterwards, both opposing nobodies warped, and the room shook. The vines were breaking further through the foundation, now sticking out of the floor like nails in a damaged floor board.

_CHANG! _Again, both flaming chakrams were tossed forward, though, this time they were more accurate. Right as Marluxia reappeared, he found the hot, singing disks digging into his cloak, tossing him against the now, not only electric, but spiked wall. He cringed, pushing himself forward, only to find, once again, his body being scorched by spiked disks. Seeing this, Larxene took the opportunity to jump out of Roxas' way before sending her weapons right at the eighth member's back, leading to Axel yelping in pain and Marluxia getting a chance to counter attack.

_WHARP! _The rose vines which had already broken through suddenly grabbed Axel with their sharp thorns and pinned him to the ground. This had all happened so fast that he was unable to react. That done, the Graceful Assassin unleashed another blast from his scythe, while, at the same time, Larxene began to use him for a pin cushion. This left the Key of Destiny untouched for the time being, allowing him to do, well, SOMETHING. He surveyed the scene. The whole area was being consumed bit by bit due to the vines. All the while, he had been relying on a single weapon. The blonde shook his head, deciding it would be best to use another plan of action…

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

Books, books, books. All around the library, Riku found books flying about, shooting pages in various directions. The whole onslaught was so overwhelming that he had to constantly roll to the side in order to avoid being given massive paper cuts. All the while, he had to avoid being bashed by various copies of Zexion, each holding a Soul Eater, while the real one kept hiding himself inside books and striking when least expected. If one thing was certain about all this, it was that Zex was a LOT stronger than he used to be, library or not.

Riku groaned, holding his Soul Eater out, scanning the books for any sign of Zexion. He could see the clones spiraling around, diving his way, but he had gotten used to their pattern by now. In fact, right when they dove for him, he simply jumped out of range before diving right back and slashing with his weapon. Upon making contact with them, the illusions would vanish. However, he knew well that this was not the end of the showdown, as Zex was still hidden.

Various novels hovered about as if enchanted, each one of a different size and shape. The problem was that there were so many of them that it was difficult to figure which was which. To his right, he found a large encyclopedia, which he quickly struck with his sword, causing five Zexions to jump out, each trying to strike him. He had to be quick to evade this, rolling to the side and attacking with dark firaga. The purplish flame managed to hit the copies, making them disappear, though, right at that moment, Riku found himself being pushed against the ground, a blade slicing him in the back.

"_Riku, Riku," _mocked Zexion, swiping at Riku with his false Soul Eater, "_you really have lost your touch. It's deplorable, really, considering that you were once a worthy adversary…"_ He lifted a hand, preparing to swipe again, but this time, Riku jabbed back, hitting Zexion right in the stomach before sending VI flying backwards. This gave the teenager a chance to get back to his feet and dive right back.

_TWANG! _The sharp edge of the weapon nearly hit Zex, but then Riku found himself being blocked by the imitation of the wing-like sword, as Zexion rolled over and snapped, sending a flurry of pages from one of the books behind him straight at his opponent. Caught of guard, Riku was, again sent flying back, though he didn't stay that way for long. Though the sharp pages began to dig into him again, the teenager could feel his darkness rising. True, Mickey had told him not to rely on the darkness, but now he had no choice. This fight had been going on for too long. It was only a matter of time before he could unleash Dark Aura.

For now, though, the teen struck back, his sword meeting Zexion's false one, as the two leaned against each other. Strangely enough, the nobody seemed to be doing just fine, pushing Riku back in an attempt to knock him to the floor. However, there was no way he'd let his enemy outdo him. Groaning, he removed his sword from Zex's and quickly slid to the right, attempting to send a blow into the sixth member's side. But, unfortunately, Riku found his arm being grabbed tightly, all before he was tossed violently into the air, feeling the pain of his own dark firaga, which, somehow, Zexion had unleashed.

Hitting the ground, Riku was overcome by even more anger than before. Sadly, though, he didn't have time to ponder over anger, as three more Zexion clones charged his way, hitting the ground with the mock swords, sending waves of darkness his way. He had to act fast to evade these, by jumping and rolling around, carefully attempting to avoid damage, though he DID feel the hurt, somewhat, due to one of the last waves just barely hitting him in the side. Still, he got up and struck the copies one by one, each of them vanishing upon being hit. It was then that he saw Zexion standing there, holding his own book and smirking. He held out one palm, a page in his other hand, as a jet of flames shot forth, astonishing the teenager, to say the least.

These flames did indeed hit Riku, though he didn't' care. Even if they burnt, he knew that this was just another one of Zexion's illusions. Due to this, he shrugged it off, all before lifting his weapon again, stepping towards the Cloaked Schemer. Right as he did, though, said nobody tore out another page, still looking as amused as ever. This time, though, Riku found lighting shooting down. Luckily for him, though, he was aware this time and managed to skid to the side, much to Zexion's dismay. At that moment, he was ready to unleash his Dark Aura. He had held it up long enough.

Clenching his fists, Riku suddenly charged at a rapid pace, jumping into the air and diving back down at Zexion, swiping at him rapidly. He did this at such a quick pace that the Cloaked Schemer ended up being stuck in the middle, and the odd thing was, he just stood there, taking the blows without even THINKING of dodging. _SLASH! _His body was sent flying sideways, as an eruption of purplish blue rose from the ground, and VI didn't care. He just sat there, while Riku finished the attack, and when he was done, he merely got up to his feet, grinning like a madman.

"_Fascinating," _he coughed, grabbing his chest tightly while staring Riku down. "_Your use of the darkness has improved, though you seem to be far too reliant. However, if you honestly wish to see the full force of my abilities…" _At this, he looked down, as the room began to shake and _all_ of the various books began to spiral about with Zexion at the center, all before each of them shot forward, hundreds and hundreds of pages striking Riku at incredible speeds. It was like a tidal wave of text, smashing the teenager into the ground, while Zexion merely sat there, cackling nonstop.

Not even the Soul Eater or any of Riku's dark moves could stop this. The incredible velocity of this torrent was astounding, and it wasn't long until he was entirely covered by the pages, his being sliced, while he crouched down, feeling oddly…scared. He felt himself being attacked by all of his fears. Surrounding him, he saw Maleficent, glaring down with evil in her eyes, a large, black raven sitting on her shoulder and cackling. Next to her was Ansem himself, who glared down and began speaking of darkness in his monotonous voice. All the while, the pain of massive paper cuts sent Riku down on his knees, cringing in pain. They continued to speak to him, telling him to give in, to surrender his heart to darkness, and to let true power flow through his veins. For the first time in a while, Riku was truly frightened by all this …and he found himself closing his eyes tightly, hoping that this burst of pain would cease…and it did.

After a short moment, the sixteen year old opened his eyes, only to find himself kneeling on the floor without any pages attacking him. The twisted form of the Library had ceased to be, and instead it was back to its brighter appearance, all of the books sitting on the shelves as if nothing had happened. He looked up, curious, spotting Zexion sitting at the table as he had been before, writing on a slip of paper with a slight smirk. It was as if none of this had even happened. But, that was impossible.

Looking down at the startled teen, Zexion casually exclaimed, "_As I was saying… If you wish to see the full force of my abilities, you will have to wait. I'm not one to let violence motivate me. Besides, this whole experience was merely a test, and, as you can see, this library has returned to its original state." _He stopped briefly, writing something down on his note. "_I fail to see why you wasted your time here. Then again, perhaps you had nobody to blame on past endeavors other than myself. It's deplorable. For someone who claims to have a strong heart, you sure are intent on bloodthirsty hatred. You've let the darkness devour you." _

Riku couldn't believe this. All of the fighting he had done had been an illusion. None of that even occurred. Worse off was that the Cloaked Schemer was taunting him still, proving quite annoying. The fact that he brought up darkness only made things worse. "My heart's not weak," he growled, pushing himself to his feet. "And the darkness doesn't control me. Just because I let myself become a puppet once doesn't mean it'll be the same this time…" To this, the sixth member merely scoffed, not exactly impressed.

"_So you think…" _

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

The Beast was furious, though such was obvious by his vigorous movements, as he pounced about, striking his claws into anything and everything he made contact with. Why, his speed and strength had caused Donald and Goofy to continuously keep themselves moving in order to avoid the heavy blows of the creature's claws. And at the present moment, this was quite difficult, considering the small space. However, that did not stop the defender and his magic smart companion from keeping up a good fight.

_WHAM! _The Beast hit his fists against the ground in raw fury, drool sliding down his face. He narrowed his gaze, staring right at Donald in particular before charging forward. It was sheer luck that the fowl was aware of this, lifting up his rod in a flash, as several jolts of electricity shot through the ceiling, hitting the Beast with a _KZRT! _This outburst, led to the large creature flying back against the wall, though this didn't hold him for long. In fact, within two seconds at most, he was up on all fours again, running forth. Eyeing this, Goofy reached for his shield, pulling his arm back and tossing the weapon like a Frisbee.

"Gawrsh, Beast!" he shouted, as the disk impaled his attacker in the chest, "You gotta control yerself! That Organization XIII feller was lying! Sora'd never do a thing like THAT!" He watched as the Beast snorted, clearly unconvinced. Whatever the Organization had done to him, it sure wasn't a pretty sight. The fact that his will was blinded by rage was so strange, yet logical in a way. However, Donald wasn't being NEAR as friendly as Goofy was with the matter.

Lifting up his staff again, the fowl exclaimed, "No sense in talking to him, Goofy! He's just as bad as Sora is, so we're gonna have to fight!" That said, he held on tight, as a blazing red glow enveloped his wand, right before a stream of flames was unleashed right at the Beast's stomach. However, the former prince rolled out of the way, and instead of hitting his chest, the blazes ignited his tail, leading to a extreme amount of growling and yelling, as he rolled around on the floor, attempting to douse the inferno.

Watching this with a puzzled expression, Goofy said, "Gee, Donald, doncha think there's a way to, I dunno, stop him? I don't wanna hurt the guy, 'cuz it's not his fault if he's mad. I blame that flowery guy who gave ya that trading card!" Reluctantly, the feathery smart mouth nodded, thinking of a way to hold Beast down. If he could just get him to stop struggling, maybe they could calm him down enough…or at least prevent him from causing any more ruckuses.

Finally, as the large mass of fur got back on his legs and charged again, Donald's face lit up. He had figured out a way to at least keep him still, all thanks to the display of Yen Sid and the other magicians from before. A grin forming along his beak, he held out his staff again, a pale aura, somewhat translucent, etched around the very tip, reaching out towards the creature, RIGHT before he could sink his teeth into any of them. The Beast's eyes widened, that once fierce look temporarily replaced by shock, as he found his body being encased by a barrier, though nowhere near as astounding as the one made by Merlin and the others. At least it would hold him still for now, though.

"That'll keep him for now," said the magician smugly. "Now we just gotta wait for Roxas and the others to get this over with…"

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

There was little fighting space in the dungeon now. Due to Marluxia's control over nature, the face had become full of large thorns jetting out from the walls, floor and ceiling. Strange plants, much like Venus fly traps had already engulfed the prisoners, and more were on the way. This wasn't exactly pleasant news for Axel and Roxas, who had already gotten tired of this game by now. But, on the other hand, it was a nice plus having a fire powered nobody around. Why, now that Axel had struggled free of the grasp of Marluxia's vines, he had found himself tossing his chakrams constantly in order to eliminate this pesky garden.

_SCHWHIR! _Flames began to dig into the thorny roots within the area. The blazes caused the vegetation to split and dissipate, freeing up some more space. Right now, Axel was at the top of his game, and so was Roxas, who had finally managed to summon BOTH of his Keyblades. Yes, there they were, each able to stand up against their opponents. When Larxene dove down with her kunai, Roxas struck back, knocking her around with both of his keys. Whenever Marluxia shot forth his deadly petals, Axel would counterstrike with flames.

Grinning, the Flurry of the Dancing flames dove towards XI, holding out both of his weapons, preparing to shoot more flames. At the same time, Marluxia swing his scythe, hoping to knock his attacker back to the ground in order to weaken him. Sadly, this was not the case, as VIII was swift enough to dodge this all before kicking the florist in the shin and setting his cloak ablaze. All the while, the Savage Nymph lazily tossed six kunai at once, two actually hitting Roxas in the back, while the others were blocked by the twin Keyblades.

It was plain to see that both Marluxia and Larxene were almost too tired to fight. XII had already been tuckered out prior to her flowery ally's appearance, and now she was barely able to keep up with her warping. _WHAM! _Oh, she felt the double blow of Oblivion and Oathkeeper, but there wasn't a thing she could do. Both blades caused her to shoot back without a counter attack, her body hitting Marluxia's.

"Just give up!" shouted the Flurry of the Dancing flames stepping back for a moment. "Really, I'm surprised you guys didn't retreat by now. Then again, I guess it's because you're not as wimpy as some other members…like Demyx. Still, I don't think you'd want to go down in such an embarrassing way, eh?" He sniggered, watching both Larxene and Marluxia panting, though neither looked all too amused. Fact was, they weren't the types to call it quits…though, maybe Axel had a point.

"_Look, Spiky…" _Larxene grumbled, trying to push herself away from the eleventh member's being, "_I'm…I'm not about to…to let some freak like you ruin my reputation here. I'll…I'll make you WISH you didn't mess with me…" _Turning her head to XI, she added, "_You're not a coward, right, Flower Boy?" _Surprisingly, Marluxia shook his head, all before relinquishing his scythe. He wasn't in the mood to squabble any longer, it seemed, as he wanted to stay ALIVE.

"_Unfortunately, Larxene," _he said, leaning his body, torched cloak and all, against the wall, "_I must decline. We've certainly had our share in this charade, and I'd rather not die, especially at the hands of **him. **No, I believe our best plan of action would indeed be to retreat. Let them free their worthless prisoners." _Still panting, he closed his eyes, as his body was pulled into the relentless vortex of darkness, just like that.

Larxene stopped for a moment, stomping her foot in annoyance. WHY did she bother with this? WHY did she have to see THEM? As much as she hated to admit it, Marluxia was right. If she kept this up, surely she'd end up defeated again. After all, that was one of the reasons why she was destroyed in the first place, was it not? Grumbling, she looked towards Axel and Roxas, both of which who were simply grinning at her. She shot a glare, one like cold ice, all before shrugging and following suit in the portaling…

Once again, the dungeon was devoid of anything harmful. Even the thorns and vines were sinking back into the walls, almost as if they had never been there to begin with. The Venus fly traps opened wide, releasing Belle, Lumiére, Coggsworth, and the others, while any sign of damage seemed to vanish without a trace. All in all, both nobodies had done a good job with the rumble, even if it had been a bit chaotic. So, sighing in relief, both Roxas and Axel made their way over to the others in a flash.

"Hey," said Roxas, looking down at the rather shocked appliances, "are you guys alright? Sorry about those two…" Each of the objects smiled at them, well, aside from Coggsworth, who was still a tad worked up by all this. Even Belle, who had been sulking before, couldn't help but lighten up slightly, glad to be rid of the horrid insides of the giant plant.

"We'll be fine, monsieur" said Lumiére, waving his hands, or the candles that represented them, rather, about. "Thanks to you, the castle is safe! But, the master…" At this, Coggsworth broke in, waving his own arm stubs around, his expression filled with worry.

"The Master!" he shouted frantically, hobbling about. "Oh, oh no! We must hurry, we must hurry! Who knows what those scoundrels have done to him?!" Rolling his eyes, Axel stared down at the paranoid clock, not exactly impressed by his behavior. He was obviously freaking out over nothing, right?

"Look, it'll be fine," said VIII in an irritated tone of voice. "The King's lackeys are up in his room, so if you're really that steamed up about it, go see for yourselves. Really, nothing to wet yourselves over." He sighed, watching them converse among each other quickly, all before turning towards Belle, who was frowning once more. Even her eyes shone with worry and concern, more than likely due to the beast. Puzzled, the pyromaniac whispered to her, "Hey, if you're really that worried, I can do you guys a favor. You see, I just so happen to know a quick and easy way to travel. If ya want, Roxas and I can take you right to that Beast of yours."

Nodding, the blonde added, "Yeah, it's the least we could do. I mean, I really doubt that Donald and Goofy will be able to calm him down on their own, especially with THREE members of Organization XIII around. So, what do you think?" Again, the group of objects, and, of course, Belle looked towards one another, contemplating on what to do. Obviously, these two were strangers to them, but, on the other hand, last time Roxas was around, they were able to free them, even if only temporarily. Besides, the Beast needed help right now. Therefore, using a portal would be the best plan of action, really.

Finally, it was decided that they would go. Ms Potts herself was the one who smiled sweetly while saying, "Alright then, dearies. We'll go speak to the master, and maybe have a nice spot of tea." And with that, things were settled. There was no more need for words when a certain hairy Beast was in trouble. Therefore, without a second thought, both nobodies opened up a corridor of darkness, motioning for the others to follow. Now was the time to settle things.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

Luckily, the portal had opened just in the nick of time, as right in the center of the room, the Beast continued to struggle within the barrier, which was just about ready to shatter. Why, even Donald's magic couldn't hold it up, and certainly Goofy was no help in this field. His strength was too much for the magic to contain, and at any moment now, he would break through and begin tearing the place up once more. His anger was in control, and there was no way to convince him otherwise. After being spoken to by three clever, yet sadistic nobodies, it seemed as if there was no way to save him now.

Upon exiting the portal, each and everyone one of them, from Axel to Mrs. Potts were SHOCKED. To say the least, none of them had expected things to be THIS terrible. Why, Belle herself couldn't handle it. To think that someone who had once been so kind to her was now filled with rage and hate was just too much to bear. The mere thought took control, and she found herself rushing over towards the shield, crouching down right next to it. And she wasn't the only one either. Why, right as she made her move, the others did to, and soon the whole barrier was surrounded by beings who were quite worried about all this.

"Oh, Beast!" exclaimed Belle, gazing at his vicious form. "Please, don't do this… This isn't you!" At this, he let out a loud, ferocious growl, still shaking within the force field. Clearly Belle's words meant nothing to him, after the use of Zexion's illusions, not to mention the long speeches about how nobody could ever truly care about a 'monster' like him. All the same, the princess of heart was persistent and wasn't about to give up. "Please, listen to me… I know that people call you a monster, but deep down I know you're more than that…"

Still shaking, the Beast growled, "…The Rose…" His eyes then turned up towards Donald and Goofy accusingly. It seemed that he STILL thought this was all their fault. "They stole it…now…now I'll NEVER be more than a MOSNTER!" That was the last thing he said before the shield CRACKED. Beast was still enraged, and he was ready to do ANYTHING to deal with the accused thieves. However, what he found once the shell surrounding him broke was that he was being, well, hugged, by Belle no less. How could he fight with her in the way like that?

Stepping back slightly, Goofy exclaimed, "Gawrsh, Beast, doncha get it? We're yer friends! No way would we steal yer rose! A-hyuck!" Hopefully, the Beast would calm down, now that Belle was glomping him, but, at the moment, he was still struggling in an attempt to break loose. Right now, the Beast wanted nothing less than to make the supposed thieves regret the crime they didn't even commit. All this rage caused each of the appliances to shout and rave, all in an attempt to sooth him.

"Master, please control yourself!" Coggsworth cried, still wiggling his arm stubs about. "This is no good! No good I say! Don't blame the girl, or even these strangers for this!" Beast stopped for a moment, looking down at the clock, who was exasperating currently, still trying to tame him. To him it was crazy to think otherwise about the thieves. If it hadn't been Sora and company, who ELSE could it have been?

Growling, the former prince said, "But…those men, they said that…" He stopped, as Belle's grip tightened, trying to show that she wanted him to calm down. It was already beginning to work as well, considering the fact that the Beast was no longer struggling like mad and was able to speak intelligently, for the most part. Axel and Roxas were both a bit confused by all this, obviously, as they had JUST come in here…but the way he was blaming Sora just didn't seem right.

Frowning, Roxas explained, "Look, Beast, I know Sora well enough to know that he wouldn't pull a stupid stunt like that. I mean…you'd think that someone who's saved plenty of worlds would know not to get on your bad side, right?" Hearing this, Beast forced a nod, sighing deeply. He hated to admit it, but they all had some sense. "As for those 'men'," added the Key of Destiny, lightening up a bit, "they're part of Organization XIII. You can't just go and trust them like that. All they wanted to do was turn you into a heartless…"

"So, I was letting them take advantage of me…" confirmed the ball of fur, his gaze shifting downwards, ashamed of his rash behavior from before. "By using my fear, my rage, my sorrow, they nearly turned me against those most important to me. How could I have been so foolish?" To this, Belle tightened her embrace and, this time, Beast returned it as well, wrapping his long, furry arms around the girl, a slight smile forming along his mug.

For a few moments, the residents of the castle took the time to simmer down, each of them speaking about what they had experienced since the arrival of Organization XIII, as Donald, Goofy, Axel, and Roxas sat and listened intently. Belle had told, with the assistance of each of the objects, no less, about how she and her friends had been discovered almost instantly upon the arrival of the three cloaked figures. She said that they were far too powerful, and it didn't take long for them all to be imprisoned in the dungeon. At the same time, Beast explained how one of the members had disguised himself as Belle and the others and tricked him into thinking he was unwanted. That mixed with the harsh attitude of Larxene, not to mention Marluxia's own convincing words, were what had led him into nearly losing himself.

All the while, though, one thing remained unclear, and that was…where exactly had the rose gone if it hadn't been stolen by Sora? Certainly it couldn't have disappeared, and Beast sure didn't remember removing it from its rightful position upon the table, but the Keybearer swiping it, as Marluxia had said. If anything, that was the most puzzling part of it all, as there was no way anyone would have been able to sneak past him, right? It just didn't make sense…

"Maybe," said Goofy, scratching his head, "one of those Organization XIII fellers did it to ya. Coulda easily been the one who made himself look like yer friends here." This explanation did have some merit, as Zexion was quite the clever individual. In fact, the possibility that he had simply disguised himself as Sora, fought the Beast, and snatched the flower in a snap. "Besides, I don't think anyone else woulda done that. A-hyuck!"

"It all makes sense," replied the Beast, looking incredibly fascinated now. "The boy who had used his illusions…he was the last one I saw before my rose vanished! But…what if he and the others have already escaped? How am I supposed to be rid of this curse without the rose?!" Anger returned to him, though this time it wasn't near as extreme. All the same, he had every reason to dislike the Organization, now that his most precious item had been snatched.

Puzzled, Donald simply stated, "Well, I dunno. The way I see it, that Organization XIII is a lot more clever than the heartless or even Maleficent! But, that's all the better reason to stop them! It's part of our mission, after all." Beast thought over this briefly, pondering over these words. If fighting the Organization was their mission, then perhaps they would be able to retrieve the rose? Such would be perfectly logical in a sense, not to mention that these guys had dealt with this kind of ordeal in the past.

At last, the Beast said, "I would like to ask you all a favor. You see, since you are fighting those strangers, I would appreciate it if you could find the rose and return it to me." Donald and Goofy, of course, both obliged to this, giving the hairy prince a salute. It was their job to prevent meddling within the worlds, so surely letting the Organization get away with the enchanted blossom would be no good. If anything, it'd make things WORSE!

"You betcha we'll get that rose!" shouted the poultry mage eagerly. "It's part of the mission to stop these jerks, so why would we just sit there. Besides, there's not a chance we'd let the creeps who kidnapped Sora get away." Grinning, the oversized bird gave the appliances, Belle, and Beast a quick wink. "We'll even beat those guys up nice and good, just for you." To this, Beast gave a slight snicker, while Belle giggled, and each of the appliances, bar Coggsworth, were greatly amused.

All the while, Roxas watched how Donald and Goofy seemed so…giddy with a half smile. How they could stay so cheery in such dire situations was beyond him, but for now he'd just shrug it off. "So, I guess that's it then?" questioned the nobody, shrugging. "I mean, Riku's probably waiting, right? Shouldn't we go see what's up so we can get back to Hollow Bastion?" Pausing, the two followers of King Mickey passed each other glances. It _was_ a good time to head out, now that things had been taken care of. And, as the boy said, Riku was probably growing impatient by now.

Nodding, Donald exclaimed, "Yeah, you're right. What was I thinking? We've gotta get going!" He turned his attention to Belle, the Beast, and the others and gave a quick wave, smiling through his yellow beak. Goofy followed suit, obviously, as such was his nature, flailing a single arm about while keeping his dopey grin. Their response was nothing short of a similar motion from each and every one of the beings in the room. Lumiére gave a bow and a wink, his flames glowing in the dark, while Mrs. Potts simply nodded. Belle smiled approvingly, as Beast himself found his large, fur coated arm waving back. Why, each and every one of them was biding ado to the group.

"Farewell," said the solemn creature known only as the Beast, "and good luck in finding the rose…" And with that, no more words were needed. Things had been taken care of, and there really was no need to stay any longer. Therefore, both the magician and the defender about-faced, strutting towards the doorway, Donald kicking it open with his large foot. Both Axel and Roxas remained still for a moment, looking back at the cheery group of household objects, and then they followed quietly stepping out into the hallway. Though, as far as the two nobodies were concerned, it was _good_ that they'd be leaving now…

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

Riku sighed, as he leaned against one of the walls in the entrance hall. After his encounter with Zexion, he wasn't exactly in the best of moods. Sure, the fight had only been an illusion, and he wasn't in _too_ bad of shape now, but right now, lingering thoughts of darkness disturbed him. The way Zex had said that the darkness had overwhelmed him just wasn't a welcoming thought. Why, he remembered when Naminé had told him the exact same thing. Even Saïx had brought this up, and, at times, King Mickey. Was he really that steep in the shadows? Riku could only look down at his own gloved hands, wondering if what they said was true.

_I know I shouldn't just give in, _he thought, still looking down at the ground, almost ashamed, _but I can't help but feel like…they're right about me. I've always been bothered by the darkness. Back when I was taken by Ansem, at Castle Oblivion, and even now, more than ever, I look like a pawn of the very thing I used to claim I didn't fear. _He sighed, still a bit annoyed. Why did all of this have to happen? Why couldn't fate have been different? If he hadn't gone and opened the door to Destiny Islands that night, things wouldn't have been this way.

He could hear voices of people he had met speaking to him, telling him about the darkness. It was like a lingering voice in the back of his mind, trying to pull him back into the light. But, the sad irony was, he had been in the dark for so long that the light was blinding. And even now, he wondered if he could make his way back to Twilight—or rather, the road to dawn. Closing his eyes, the teenager thought this over, as the voices echoed on.

_Gosh, Riku, you're thinking too much. You gotta believe in yourself!_

_What's wrong, Real Thing? **Still** afraid of the darkness?_

_C'mon, Riku, you can't give up. Remember, deep down there's a light that never goes out!_

_Easier said than done, _he confirmed inside his mind, as he opened his eyes once more. The way he figured it, this was enough internal worrying for now. Besides, he could already hear the others coming back, Donald's footsteps in particular causing a lot of racket. Turning his attention away from the floor, the silver haired adolescent shoved himself away from the wall and headed towards the center of the room, right as the four others materialized.

"I was waiting for you," he said, tapping his foot impatiently. "C'mon, the longer we stall, the worse Sora gets. So, let's go already…" At this, Axel rolled his eyes, somewhat annoyed by the boy's impatience. As far as he was concerned, if he knew what had been going down in the dungeon, or perhaps in the Beast's room, he wouldn't be so snappy. Then again, the former member of Organization failed to realize that Riku wasn't exactly in the best mood right now, especially after dealing with the Cloaked Schemer. Regardless, they HAD been stalling…

"Look, kid," Axel said, simply standing in place with a blank expression, "we're _so_ sorry we held _you_ up from seeing _your_ friend. But, the fact is, we sorta got held up with things, so if you wanna blame anyone, go complain to Organization XIII. Got it memorized?" Riku merely scoffed at the fiery nobody and said no more, while both Donald and Goofy headed for the door.

"Actually, Riku's right," mused the fowl, pushing against the exit with all his might, though it was mostly Goofy who managed to get it open. "We've gotta deal with Sora, especially now that we have a cure. There's no sense in arguing either, since the Gummi Ship's right outside." VIII growled somewhat at the fowl, but, for the most part, he kept his cool, trying not to make a bad impression especially around his best friend.

When the door was fully opened, the two residents of Disney Castle motioned for the others to follow, all before slinking outside. It was time to leave now, and there was no sense in staying any longer with the Keybearer waiting, back in Hollow Bastion. With Riku joining them now, turning the once cheery lad back to his old self seemed pretty darn simple. So, with things wrapped up in the castle, Riku trudged outside, preparing for the inevitable, as both numbers XIII and VIII slowly followed. It was time to finish things…

**End of Chapter**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**AN: **Well, that was a long chapter, but it's finished now. Hope it was a good one.

Now, about Zexion using his book to create that weird magic… Well, I got the idea from reading a Zexion topic at KHU, as one person brought up the idea of him basically using his book to create any attack/illusion he wants. I thought it would be a nifty thing to use, even if only briefly, so yeah.

Anyway, next chapter is going to focus entirely on dealing with Sora, so I'm not sure how long it will be, but hopefully I'll get it done soon!


	22. A Face Off Between Friends

Oh my… I'm SO sorry that it took so long to update, guys. I've just been dealing with a lot lately, such as school, real life stuff, and writer's block. This probably was the most hectic chapter to write, actually, which is why it may or may not be up to par with the others. But, still, here is the conclusion to the Anti Sora subplot…

**Chapter 18: A Face Off Between Friends**

"_**Poor, helpless Sora… You should give up. Your friends can't save you now…"**_

Deep inside Sora's mind, the poor, weakened Keybearer was still struggling against the darkness that inhabited his being. He could barely do anything at all now, and he had no idea what was going on around him. This menace had grown too powerful, and now he was just a faint glimmer of light in an abyss of black. Still, he was there, even if only barely, and he couldn't help but argue, "No…you're wrong… My friends won't give up on me! Not now… They'll stop you, just you…wait…" To this, the Anti Sora merely laughed, his presence sending fear in what was left of the boy.

"_**Such confidence," **_he said, repeating the very words Ansem had used when he was within Riku's body. "_**Have you ever once thought of the fact that…heheh… the light can't always win? This isn't some fairy tale land. It's a nightmare full of darkness, endless fighting, and lack of hope. You claim that true power comes from light, yet there is always that shadow lingering above all…" **_He cackled slightly, peering down at the faint light within, who struggled to get up and fight, though the tendrils of darkness held him down. Sora groaned, all in an attempt to fight back.

"Even if…" he said, still struggling with much integrity, "the darkness is always there…Even if the fighting never stops, it doesn't change the fact that there IS hope. Maybe I'm not the hero people make me out to be, but what's important is that I try, for my friends. At least I give them something…to believe in. You…you don't understand any of this because you're too…too STUPID!" He coughed, being pulled back into the shallows of his mind, deeper and deeper. Anti Sora merely watched him, laughing away. There was no sense in saying any more, when the darkness was at its peek… His friends could handle the rest.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Merlin's House**_

"_**Oh Yuuuuuufie, YUFFIE! I'm hungry…FEED ME! Heheh…I thought friends didn't let each other STARVE!" **_

In the basement of Merlin's House, Sora sat within the shield, looking seemingly normal. His skin wasn't dark in color, but rather close to its original shade, only more tan, while his hair retained its brown shade, albeit darker, and his eyes weren't pure yellow, though his irises were amber in shade. He sat, hammering at the shield surrounding him with his Keyblade, quite frustrated at the fact that he had been imprisoned inside. All the while, the ninja known only as Yuffie kept her distance, watching in horror. This wasn't looking good.

"_**What's WRONG Yuffie?" **_he continued, still whacking away with his key-shaped weapon. "_**Are you AFRAID of ME?! After all I DID?! I SAVED you…I SAVED this WORLD. Heh… I thought you'd be more trusting…"**_ He grinned, lifting up the Kingdom Key and flinging it forward again. Even if he couldn't get out, Sora was willing to try, all while tormenting anyone who happened to be in the vicinity. At the present moment, of course, Yuffie was such a person, though she remained silent in order to ignore the former innocent being known as Sora.

Yuffie looked at Sora for a brief moment, eyeing him in suspicion. The way he looked like his true self was odd, but she knew that it was likely just a ruse to confuse her. The way he spoke gave this away, with his constant screeching and somewhat psychotic air. She gave the boy another glance, as he hammered away, his eyes piercing her very being. Even his face showed that there was no sign of friendliness within. Knowing that staying down here was pointless, she abruptly turned away, heading for the stairwell, each step creaking as she went up the darkened staircase.

Upon reaching the main room inside Merlin's house, she found that the only beings inside was Leon, who was seated at the table, staring into space. Judging by the painting upon his visage, he was pretty bothered by this whole thing. But, what really made Yuffie curious was the fact that, well, everyone had left, even Cid, who almost always spent his time seated at the large computer screen. It just didn't make sense why a normally lively place would suddenly become silent.

Confused, Yuffie said, "Hey, Leon, where is everybody?" Shrugging, Leon got up from his place and paced towards the young ninja girl, still looking complacent and calm. He didn't say anything at first, but rather, he merely looked her in the eye briefly, then shook his head.

"They're in Ansem's study," he explained, crossing his somewhat strong arms. "After a while, they couldn't really find anything on the cure, so they figured digging through his personal library would help, though I doubt it. Still, it's better than nothing." Yuffie tilted her head in curiosity. She was a tad confused as to why the others had left for Ansem's study, though, on the other hand, it was likely for good reason; within the study, it was likely that there would at least be _some_ documentation on the nature of darkness.

"Well," she replied, changing the subject, "I just thought I'd let you know that Sora's acting really weird again. Definitely not the Sora _I_ remember." Hearing this, Leon simply huffed, not exactly pleased by the thought of the Keybearer acting up again. They already had issues with him earlier that day, when he was making a total ruckus that could be heard all the way from the main floor. He looked down at the stairs for a moment, and then back to Yuffie, all before beginning to walk downwind…

"Stay here; I'll see what's up…"

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Outside Leon**_'_**s House**_

By now, Donald, Goofy, Riku, Axel, and Roxas had safely left Beast's Castle. The drive back to Hollow Bastion had been a quiet one, as none of the heroes, or Axel, had wanted to speak of much. Sure, Donald and Goofy both attempted to bring up conversation at times. Sadly, each of them had been in their own little worlds, refusing to partake in any form of discussion. During that duration of time, Riku had pondered over Sora, while both Axel and Roxas simply sat there, keeping quiet, though, deep down, they were contemplating what would happen after all this was over. Upon arriving in Hollow Bastion, though, things seemed to spark up, even if only slightly.

At the present moment, the group of five was traversing the Borough, discussing a few loose ends. Both Donald and Goofy were both curious about what had changed Riku into his current self. This, of course, would be difficult to explain without mentioning Roxas' existence. However, seeing the expression on the nobody's face was proof enough that he wasn't in the mood to have his true identity revealed. Shaking that off, Riku decided to just give an abridged explanation.

"Let's see," he began, making his way towards Merlin's with the others, "a while ago, some things happened. You guys were, well, let's just say you were taking the longest nap ever. And, while you were lazily snoozing, Organization XIII started messing up the worlds." He paused, looking back at Axel and Roxas before continuing, "Without Sora, there was no way they could be stopped. Sure, people tried, but the fact is, without the Keybearer, you guys, and everyone else, are just about hopeless." For a moment, there was silence, but then Donald suddenly thought of something. Sure, Sora had been sleeping, but what about Roxas?

"Wait just a minute," he said, raising a brow. "You're sayin' that there was no Keybearer, but there WAS. Roxas." A smug expression slid up his façade, as the fowl observed Riku, who didn't really care. He sighed, running his gloved fingers through his hair, figuring that Donald would bring the blonde up.

"Yeah, there was Roxas, alright," said Riku, still moving forward, the house just a few yards away now. "But…back then, you could say that we weren't on the best terms. I…can't say much about it, but Organization XIII _was_ involved." With that brief statement, the teen shut it, concentrating on the matter at hand. Axel and Roxas both gave a relieved look to the ally of Sora, while both Donald and Goofy just stood dumbfounded. To them, it felt like Riku was hiding something, which he was. "Anyway, to help Sora…I had to use the darkness…and, well, you get the idea."

Nothing else was said in the brief time before they reached Merlin's House. The walk wasn't necessarily a long one, anyway, considering the fact that the Borough was pretty darn small. Upon arriving at the joint, though, Riku made sure that he was the first one to get to the door, moving in front of Donald, who had been waddling towards the entrance. His hand quickly made contact with the door, giving it a hard knock, and it wasn't long before a certain ninja was standing in the doorway, eyes WIDE in shock due to Riku.

"WHAT is THAT?!" she shrieked, pointing an accusing finger. Of all the things she had expected to see standing in the doorway, the heartless-like Riku was far from on her list, so to speak. Riku shrugged, stepping aside, allowing Donald to enter. He wasn't exactly in the mood to give another lengthy explanation of why he looked the way he did. Besides, it was best to just let temperamental ducks get their way. And, just as he had anticipated, Donald was quick to scurry inside, especially with Riku keeping his distance; with the cure supposedly inches away, stalling would be useless.

As soon as he stepped inside, Goofy made his move, marching close behind with a rather mellow expression. He stopped at the doorway, pointing at Riku with a gloved finger, saying, "Well, Yuffie, that's Riku. He's one of Sora's best buddies. Best of all, he's found a cure for him! A-hyuck!" To this, Yuffie gave a relieved sigh, her visage lightening up, even if only slightly.

"So that's Riku," she said with a weak grin. "Nice to meet you. I'm the great ninja Yuffie!" She stopped briefly, turning her head towards the basement before looking back at the group. "Anyway, you guys said you've got the cure?" Axel nodded, looking every so sly, as he too made his way indoors.

"That'd be correct," he replied sharply. "Darkness boy's got a cure, alright, but let's just say that it's pretty stupid. But hey, better him being insane than Sora. Never really did fit the kid." Riku groaned at this, not exactly amused by Axel's remarks. The way he made a joke out of just about everything just didn't exactly please him. But, then again, there wasn't really any use in arguing with him when there were important matters to attend to.

Shaking his head of silver locks, the "darkness boy", as Axel had called him, groaned, "Look, let's just get this over with, alright? Just sitting here is NOT going to help, you know. Besides, I'd kind of LIKE to see what we're dealing with." He rolled his eyes at the group, heading towards the entrance, while Roxas gave a shrug. Just like Riku, he too had to admit that things were really getting prolonged, which wasn't a good thing for someone who wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"I have to agree with Riku here," he said, following suit of the others. "I mean, just sitting here isn't going to help Sora. And even if I want to get out of here, it's the least I could do, right?" Instead of getting strange looks for this, Roxas found Donald himself giving an approving nod, most likely because he was impatient with this as well. How typical of him to focus on the mission above everything else.

His large, webbed foot was still tapping away, impatience overtaking him. "You're BOTH right. Sitting here like palookas isn't going to get this over with. We should just get DOWN there and see how he's doing. Plus, we've got the cure now, so it'll be over before you know it." Relieved, Riku heaved a sigh before entering the house himself. Things were seemingly resolved, thus there was no real need to continue this discussion, as far as he was concerned. Before Axel entered, however, he shot a quick glance towards his best friend, Roxas, no less, and then proceeded inward as well.

Instead of merely sitting there to chat, the group made haste for the stairs in hopes that at least something wouldn't go astray. Yuffie herself was in a rush to get them to their next location, though she halted right at the deep stairwell which led to the basement. She shrugged. "You guys go ahead. I think I'd rather wait up here for Leon." Goofy nodded at this, giving the girl a wink.

"Doncha worry," he said, waving a finger. "We'll get Sora back to normal in a jiffy! Besides, I'm sure it'd be better to stay up here anyway." Yuffie sighed, hoping that he was right; from what she had seen of Sora, it sure didn't look like he was about to change. Donald then gave his partner a quick tug on the pants, pointing towards the steps below.

He tilted his feathered head downwards to see if there was any ruckus below, as did Goofy. They had to be sure that Sora would be in a slightly decent mood, if anything. However, upon doing so, they found that silence resonated within the hollows of the catacombs. Donald raised a questioning brow before looking back to the others and motioning them to press on.

"C'mon," he muttered, "let's go."

Due to the limited space in the hall to the basement, each of them had to go single file, Donald up front, followed by Goofy, Riku, and Roxas…with Axel trailing slowly behind. With each step, there was a creak in the wooden area, but aside from that, there was still no noise. This clearly made no sense as prior to this, Leon had headed down to detain Sora's arrogance. Though, perhaps this was nothing to worry about. Regardless, it wouldn't take long for their destination to be reached; there was just one more flight of stairs, and they were quite small in size.

Sora could definitely hear the approaching group. Being in his darkened state, he was able to pick things up far quicker than he had been prior to the experimentation. His yellowed eyes glimmered with sinister delight, as he peered from Leon to the steps just a few yards away. "_**Heh, I guess we have COMPANY, Leon!" **_he shouted, waving his arms about. "_**How GREAT…" **_Leon merely rolled his eyes, looking towards the steps.

What he saw was nothing short of the very group he had spoken to earlier, along with another. He wasn't quite sure who the silver haired boy, who had similar, though less prominent features to Sora in his anti state. Each of them dismounted the steps, one after another, now standing in a small mob in the back of the room. For the most part, they seemed to be determined to see their friend for whatever reason, and that alone was a burden lifted off his shoulders.

"Looks like you've taken care of your mission, huh?" he said, flipping his gunblade about. Donald nodded, not exactly too concerned about that at the moment. "Well, Merlin and the others left. They couldn't find the cure here, so they went to Ansem's study, leaving me with the kid. And, as you can see, he's still trying to get out." He gestured towards the shield, where Sora, still disguising himself to appear normal, pressed on in knocking his Keyblade against the barrier.

Riku examined his best friend, tilting his head to the side. Sora at least _looked_ normal, but he could tell that this was all a ruse; the very way he aggressively assaulted his spherical prison was proof enough of this. Something also told him that his appearance was another trick. Riku turned to Leon and said, "Don't sweat it. I know the cure. But…" he turned to Sora with a questioning gaze, "how bad off is he?" Leon was about to say something, but Axel broke in, shoving him aside with his rather thin physique.

"Trust me, kid," he said, leaning against Leon ever so slightly, "he aint good. I should know, since I had to deal with him. Quite a few times, actually, and he managed to knock me out, which is saying a lot. Got it memorized?" Groaning, Leon shoved Axel's arm out of the way, while Riku gave a mere grunt. Neither seemed easily amused by the pyromaniac's antics, playful or not.

"He's pretty much summed it up," Leon grumbled, turning his back on the group. "But, if you say you can cure him then, by all means, do it. I've had enough of this…" Rolling his eyes, he then took a step forward, heading back to the top floor. However, he took one last glance at Sora before doing so, noticing how he had ceased his pounding. He sighed and then began to trudge on, saying, as he went, "Be careful…"

The moment Leon left, Sora did not hesitate to press his face against the barrier, moaning as if he were trying to play innocent, despite the fact that each and every one of the people who stood before him knew that it was but a trick. He pleaded, "_**Riku, it's you! Not ZEXION…but you! Thank goodness…" **_A falsely innocent smile spread across his visage. "_**Don't listen to them! They…they don't know what they're talking about!" **_The act was somewhat authentic, complete with a sprinkling of naivety, but such deceit would not fool Riku, who had expected some form of trickery.

"Nice try," he said, crossing his arms with a scowl, "but that won't work. If anyone knows Sora, it's me, and trust me, he's not _that_ sappy. Besides, just a second ago you were trying to break out." Unpleased by Riku's cleverness, Sora could only grimace, turning around on all fours, as the darkness of his Anti Form took shape. To say the least, Riku was impressed by the sudden changes: his facial features sinking away until two golden spheres remained, his entire attire turning pitch black, along with his hair, not to mention the formation of his claws.

"_**I GUESS you're not as stupid as I thought, HUH?!" **_Sora hissed. "_**It's funny… I couldn't take Roxas' heart…but that doesn't mean I won't take YOURS!" **_He lifted up a clawed finger, pointing directly at Riku's chest, malice filling his being. The heartless-like instinct of his Anti Form was beginning to be apparent once more, the longer Riku watched him. He couldn't help but worry at this, though right now was not the moment to fret.

"So you tried to take Roxas 'heart', huh?" he asked. "Gee, Sora, for someone who hates heartless, you sure are acting like one right about now." To this remark, Sora merely snorted, while Roxas, on the other hand, stepped forward with a mellow look on his mug.

"Riku, he's not joking," he said. "Trust me, he's a lot stronger right now, and getting on his bad side wouldn't be the best idea." Sora shifted around inside his little barrier, looking quite casual, despite his threatening looks; there was a glitter in his lifeless eyes which gleamed with malice.

"_**He's RIGHT, Riku," **_he snickered, head bobbing up and down. "_**I'm hungry…I don't CARE about how much I 'hate' HEARTLESS…I'M GOING TO EAT YOUR HEART!" **_The others merely gave wary stares, aside from Axel, who simply rolled his eyes. Riku covered his face with his palm, frustrated, while Donald and Goofy heaved upset sighs; all Roxas did was watch Sora's movements carefully, as he was acting suspiciously calm. If anything, it seemed as if he were trying to lure them all into something, for better or worse.

"Gawrsh, Riku," Goofy muttered, taking a step back, "maybe we should just get the cure outta the way! I'm startin' to really miss the old Sora." He looked down towards Donald, who seemed to wholeheartedly agree, judging by his nodding gestures. "All we gotta do is get rid of that shield, right? Then we can get him back to his good old self! A-hyuck!" Little did Goofy realize, he was being watched by Sora very carefully, as if he were his next target.

"Goofy's right," said Donald, heeding no attention to the suspicious sight, "we should deal with this…but, I don't know how to get rid of that shield. The magic's pretty strong…" He stroked the bottom of his beak in deep thought, eyes peering at the barrier, but not at Sora, while Axel tossed a flame up and down while sniggering to Roxas, as if telling him something rather sarcastic and witty.

"Who cares how strong that thing is?" groaned Axel, rolling his eyes once more. "Back at that stinking Castle, the Beast managed to break through YOURS," he pointed a finger at Donald and sniggered. "If anything, we should be able to— Hey, looks like the kid's already got the idea…"

Sora was ready to escape, and even with the powerful magic encasing him, he _would _break loose; he had been eyeing Goofy for a reason. Hand held out, he was channeling a strange amount of power into himself, causing the canine to twitch uncomfortably, like he had done before…the last time he had fought in Hollow Bastion, against Pete, no less. Seeing Goofy's strange behavior, Donald was quick to give him a nudge, but he got no response; it was as if he were in a daze, as even his eyes seemed to be blank. Sora gave a cackle, tilting his head back, as an aura of power surrounded him, black as the shadows, and Goofy began to vanish.

"W-what?!" Donald shrieked, flailing about hysterically. "What's he doin'?!" As Goofy began to vanish, Sora, still in his Anti state, began to change ever so slightly, his clothing becoming red in tint, with flame-like markings, much like when he had attempted this before. Dumbfounded and having been unconscious the last time Sora had done this, Donald could only gawk at the sight, just as everyone, spare Axel did…especially Riku.

"…This…I don't understand," said Riku, under his breath, "I didn't know Sora could—" He stopped, as, in Sora's hands, two Keyblades were forming, but neither were his Kingdom Key; in both of his hands, rather than the golden and silver Keyblade of norm', were two Oblivions, both black, shimmering, and dangerous. Riku was taken aback by this, as never before had he seen his friend Dual Wield, let alone in a darkened state. "…How…?"

The barrier began to shake; the power suppressed within Sora was far too much for even the powerful magic to handle. Slowly, cracks began to split the shield, creeping down its spherical shape like a snake. At the same time, the lights in the room began to flicker, and shadows formed in the corners; they reached out, growing, as the barrier continued to split. It was clear that a fight was inevitable, as Sora held back his dual weapons, as if ready to strike at his prison of sorts. And, even with his expressions severely null, it seemed as if he was grinning savagely.

Riku looked back and forth, watching the growing darkness envelope the room. To his left, Donald was skipping about with his staff, trying his best to keep the barrier at bay; his weapon gleamed with a pale glow, and the power of the barrier spell seemed strong enough, but it was far too late to hold this in. The cracks were growing, and it was clear that, at any moment, Sora would be free. Quickly, Riku did the most sensible thing; he grabbed his Soul Eater and got into a battle ready position, expecting the worst.

Roxas saw this, and quickly followed suit, his hands becoming surrounded by a black and white aura, rapidly hardening into the form of his dual Keyblades, Oathkeeper and Oblivion, while Axel, grinning in excitement at a chance for a _real_ challenge, called out his Chakrams. Even Donald ceased his attempts to stop the shield and instead waddled over to his allies, gripping his staff tightly with both hands. Seeing this, Sora gave a snicker, and then he thrust his arms back fiercely.

_CHANG! _Almost instantly, the barrier broke into bits, its glittering pieces hitting the ground with a thud before vanishing altogether. For a moment, everything was still, as the room was pulled into blackness. The lights finally turned off altogether, and even if only briefly, things became like an empty abyss. However, moments later, a new area began to materialize, looking wide and empty. The room was very spherical, and all too familiar, for, in the center of the area, crouching down with his weapons was Sora, and he had sent the entire group into the Hollow Bastion castle.

There wasn't time to talk; upon fully materializing within the chamber, Sora charged forward, rushing at a speed that was almost double what it had been before, diving at the group. His bursts of speed were to unexpected that, by the he came close, there was no time to react. _WHAM! _One of the Oblivion Keyblades had struck Donald in the chest, causing him to fly backwards, being so small. Of course, Sora didn't stop there. Upon hitting the fowl, he whirled about, hitting Riku's leg in the process, leading to him falling forward and hitting the floor. Roxas, being a dual wielder himself, made an attempt to strike, lunging forward immediately, but he soon found himself being jabbed forward when Sora thrust both Oblivions at him at once.

Axel, being the only one who had yet to be hit, did a smart move, by warping quite a few yards behind Sora and thrusting his weapons towards his back, burning, orange flames trailing behind. _KA CHING! _The chakrams hit, though the pain of the flames gleaming along the back of his jacket didn't seem to bother him so much, as directly afterwards, one of his Keyblades had been flung right at Axel. Due to the force along the weapon, he had little time to react and found that, even he had been, at last, sent flying back. From there, Sora charged at him, leaping into the air, all before diving down and thrusting his other Keyblade right at Axel's chest.

He let out a scream of pain, and Sora continued to strike, now lashing out at him frantically. This, however, gave the others a quick chance to get back to their feet, Riku grumbling with annoyance, Roxas simply picking up his weapons, and, lastly, Donald having to adjust his hat and pick up his staff. The struggle with Axel kept Sora occupied long enough for Donald to have his turn; he held up his staff, as a jolt of lightning shot straight down from the ceiling, knocking Sora directly off of his target. From there, both Riku and Roxas dashed forth, and Axel got up from his uncomfortable position.

All of them were far too slow, though, as, just before his two attackers could reach him, Sora lunged forward, rolling out of the way before pounding the ground with both Oblivions; this sent a blood red surge of power across the ground, knocking both Roxas and Riku off their feet, not to mention giving them sharp pains which surged through their whole bodies. This was followed by the both of them being grabbed by the arms and flung up into the air, all before they were knocked back down by the Keyblades.

Axel, who had warped after safely away from Sora, made an attempt to send flames at the corrupt teenager, but such did not occur; from the moment the infernos shot forward, he had spun both Keyblades in unison, like a fan, blocking each and every ember and sending them right back at their source, not that it really had much of an effect on him. Shaking his head, Donald waved his staff, as an icy blue gleam shot at Sora, clearly a blizzard spell. At first, it seemed like it was working; crystals began to envelope Sora's body; but this didn't hold him for long. From the moment the ice coated him, he broke loose, and dove at the fowl.

The fight was incredibly one-sided, for the most part. For each and every tactic, whether it involved Axel cleverly warping about, or Roxas attempting to toss his Keyblades about like Frisbees, Anti Sora had a counter move. His speed and agility were far too much to handle; in general, Anti Form was swift, but with the addition of Goofy's powers, he was twice the speed, and perhaps more than twice as strong. The fighting itself went on for a very long time, and the results were still the same.

Finally, a resolution struck, after Sora had finished beating down on Axel once more. Looking almost tired, he had given a brief pause, panting, and looking away from the battered nobody. This was the perfect chance to lay a blow; while catching his breath, Sora was fully open. Riku, who had been building up his darkness, as the fight had pressed on, was ready to take this quick opportunity and use it to the fullest. He quickly glanced at both Roxas and Donald, who nodded, and then they attacked.

Riku took the lead, diving up into the air and striking down with his blade, leading to an eruption of power that even surpassed Sora's little attack from earlier. The brisk pounding sent his exhausted form straight up in the air and back again. _SLASH! _The Soul Eater met with Sora's chest. _WHAM! _He banged straight into the ground. By the time Riku ceased his attacking, Donald had already began to conjure up another thunder spell, as a gleaming yellow glow radiated from his staff before causing sharp, instant volts to shock Sora. Lifting up his Keyblades, Roxas decided to use the opportunity to make a move as well, twirling the dual weapons while diving at him.

_TWANG! _The blow was successful, and it ended up nearly impaling him in the chest several times. He groaned each time the Keyblades hit, all while chakrams hit him from behind with a _THUD! _For someone who had been having the upper hand for a while, Sora was losing his touch, and he was just barely hanging in there. Desperate to get back in the game, he quickly reached out an arm, grasping one of Roxas' own before pulling him down to the ground.

"_**C-clever…" **_he said weakly, "_**but…that's ENOUGH…" **_He stopped, eyes glancing at Roxas, and he began to curl his claws around his neck, sending a cold chill down the nobody's spine. Overcome with the strange, chilling sensation, Roxas once again found himself unable to move. "_**Mm… You know, ROXAS…" **_he continued, peering into his eyes malevolently, "_**You look a LOT like ME….Heh, I DON'T KNOW WHY, THOUGH!" **_There was no response from Roxas, who merely closed his eyes. Sora snarled at this and lifted him into the air. "_**Heh, looks like ROXAS doesn't feel like TALKING… Can't we all just GET ALONG?! Have a nice chat, and then I'll take your HEARTS?! C'mon—"**_

Huffing, Axel intruded in the most unpleasant way; instead of talking he took a dive forward, tossing his chakrams at Sora's chest, knocking him back at a wall. Flames then broke lose, charring his frontal region in a burst of flames and freeing Roxas, who quickly rolled out of the way. Furious, Sora made an attempt to strike back by darting forward with his dual weapons, but, to his surprise, he almost instantly found himself being tossed up in the air and diced about by none other than Riku, who, judging by the speed and constant slashing of his Soul Eater, was using Dark Aura.

_WHAM! _Sora was tossed upwards, only to be tossed back as Riku struck from the opposite direction. All the while, Donald stepped in, casting thunder from up above, though he was careful to avoid hitting Riku. Volts surged through Sora's body, with a _BZZT_, while he was tossed towards the ground and struck down by Riku's blade once again. For a moment, Sora didn't budge; he was curled up on the floor, panting heavily; but soon after, he was up on his feet, still holding his weapons, charging forward a few feet before thrusting his Keyblades again.

_BANG! _Roxas, who had made it back to his feet, just narrowly blocked the offending Keyblades with his own; Sora was getting weaker, but that didn't mean that he had lost his strength. Groaning, he tried yet another attempt to strike, running forth with his claws at the ready. However, as he ran on all fours towards his nobody, Sora found himself tripping over the extended leg of none other than Axel before sliding face forward into a corner. Snarling, he about faced, hoping to have an opportunity to attack, but, to his surprise, he found that the others were closing in on him.

Riku, who was in the front of the procession, no longer holding his weapon, gazed towards Sora almost sympathetically; clearly he no longer wished to brawl, as he was moving at a leisurely pace. Glancing back towards the others, he said, "Alright, I think we can finish this now. Roxas, you go ahead and hold him, you too, Donald." He paused briefly, pondering over what to do with Axel before coming to a conclusion, "As for you, Axel…just hang in there in case he's stubborn."

"Yeah, sure," muttered Axel in response, rolling his eyes. "Whatever you say, kid…"

Snarling again, Sora picked could only back himself further into the corner, as he was further approached. Clearly, there was no chance to fight, especially with his weakened state, but, due to his Anti Form, he was being highly reluctant. Soon, though, he found one of his arms being clutched tightly by Roxas, and the other by none other than the poultry mage, Donald. He struggled by shifting around uncomfortably, but their grips merely tightened.

"_**No…I won't give in…" **_he said breathlessly, "_**YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" **_His body continued to quiver, as the hold on him tightened, and Riku approached; there was no way he was about to lose…especially in such a humiliating way! Quickly glancing between the two who restrained him, he made a weak attempt to escape by jerking furiously. To this, Riku merely groaned before crouching down in front of his friend.

"Sora…c'mon," he said in an attempt to reach his friend, "I know you're in there. Stop and think about this, alright?" Hissing, Sora declined, trying to stretch his body forward and slink out of his friends' grasp.

"_**You can't reach him, fool…" **_he spat, twitching in annoyance. "_**I've been in control for far too long…he's weak. WEAK… EVEN IF YOU DRAIN THE DARKNESS, HE'LL BE GONE! A LIFELESS PUPPET!" **_Both Roxas and Donald had to continue holding him steady, as he shrieked in fury; exhausted or not, he still did have the strength of Goofy. All the while, they thought over what Sora had said, especially Riku.

"That's…not true," Riku sighed, still remaining in front of his best friend. "A year ago, Sora said that even if the heart gives in, the light will always be there, and he was right. I should know, since I've gone through a lot, and even now, I'm still me…maybe not on the outside, but at least I haven't lost it. Besides, there's no way he'd let himself stay like this, being no better than the heartless…" Nodding, Donald turned towards Sora to give some words as well.

"Riku's right," he said, giving a weak smile along his yellow beak. "Sora, you've really lost sight of what really matters! Don't ya even care about getting home and seeing Kairi again? If you don't hang in there, how're we supposed to complete the mission?" Winking, Donald hoped that this would be enough to bring out the true Sora, even if only slightly, but, to his dismay, he found that the Anti Form was merely growling even louder, while his struggling increased.

"_**NO! You WON'T bring him back!" **_he snarled, flailing about frantically. "_**Sora's gone…GONE! I'm too strong, too powerful! AND I NEED HEARTS!" **_Even with his nulled face, a sort of fear was now blatantly there, even inside Sora's current self. A strange feeling was rising in him, a feeling of warmth…of light; his true nature was growing stronger, and even if he didn't want to admit it, he had long since lost. "_**This can't HAPPEN…I WON'T…I…I…No…GET OUT…YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE THERE!!!" **_

Roxas frowned, looking at his other and regretting what he was about to do. By awakening Sora's real personality, he was risking a lot, especially that of his own being, but this had to end. With a stern look forming on his mug, he said, "Sora, look, they've got a point. This isn't you at all… You're supposed to be one who fights AGAINST the darkness, not someone who embraces it! Even I know that…"

Still, Sora pressed on, holding onto whatever part of his darkness was left. "_**NEVER…NEVER…! I'm the real Sora now! …But…no…you…GO AWAY…PLEASE…Wait, I just said PLEASE! GRAH! I'm LOSING IT!" **_

This was enough to show that the fight had long since ended. Riku didn't need to think twice before he decided that he would deal with the cure now, before this pressed on any longer. Taking a deep breath, he slid closer to Sora, taking off one of his gloves, revealing a shadowy hand that matched the rest of his form. Sora twitched, still going on about things, but there was nothing he could do now. Determined, Riku placed his hand in front of Sora's face and shut his eyes tightly.

A dark aura began to spew from Sora's very body, twisting and curling as it made its way into Riku's skin. Sora's screaming only intensified, while the shadows were slowly removed, while both Donald and Roxas had to hold him in place; Axel merely watched from a distance, uninterested. All the while, the darkness continued to sink into Riku, causing him to slouch slightly and even groan, but at least he was getting the job done.

"D…Donald," he said, clenching his free hand tightly into a first, "when I'm done with this, you and the others need to take Sora and leave…" Puzzled, the fowl merely cocked his head to the side, not quite sure what Riku meant.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" he replied, somewhat shocked.

Riku moaned, clutching at his cloak, while wincing; he certainly wasn't very articulate at the moment. The darkness was sinking into him, and it was a lot for him to tolerate. "Just do it…I can't say how dangerous I'll be when this is over, so you'll have to trust me!" Gasping, he turned away from the others and pressed on, as Sora's form began to slowly revert, blackened skin returning to its former peach, hair lightening into brown. Sure enough, the cure was working, but it wouldn't be so positive for Riku…

As the minutes went on, Riku's state began to worsen as Sora's improved. He could barely keep still, as the last of the darkness flowed into him, leaving an unconscious Sora on the floor of the chamber. Breathing intensified, and soon he was twitching, clearly dangerous. At the same time, Sora's red clothing faded back to its darker tone, and with it went the second Keyblade. Goofy slowly materialized as well, though he was also unconscious.

Soon, the process was complete, and all was quiet, aside from the frantic noises from Riku, who was grabbing at his chest with both hands, groaning as if in immense pain. He leaned forward, shoving Sora out of his way before saying, "…Go…now…before…before I do anything I'll regret!" Donald nodded, grabbing one of Sora's arms, but he wasn't exactly pleased.

"Riku… Be careful. Sora wouldn't want you to get hurt…" He turned around, looking back at Axel, along with Goofy's body. "We should go, though. Axel, you take care of Goofy, and Roxas and I will carry Sora. A portal would be nice too…"

"Done and done," said Axel reluctantly, shrugging. "Just don't expect me to do this again any time soon, got it? As soon as we get back, Roxas and I are GONE." Donald rolled his eyes, not exactly in the mood to deal with Axel's remarks.

"We'll deal with that when we get back! Now…let's beat it!"

Nodding, Axel made his way towards Goofy's unconscious form, lifting him up carefully, despite his heaviness; it wasn't as if Roxas or Donald would be able to carry out such a task. At the same time, both Roxas and Donald grabbed Sora's arms and pulled him away from Riku, who was clutching at his stomach even tighter than before. As the group prepared to leave, Axel creating the dark corridor, no less, Riku could only watch, as he was being attacked by the darkness from the inside, barely able to keep a straight face, as each of them entered the portal.

_I guess I've done my part, _he thought, giving another groan, due to the overflowing darkness, _Sora can go on without me…but…I can't just give up… _He gave another cough, as a dark residue dripped to the floor, and he shut his eyes tightly, trying to latch onto his sanity as long as he could. If he were to let go now, who was to say that Ansem wouldn't come back? At the rate he kept using his Dark Aura, absorbed Sora's Anti Form, and had already given in prior to this, there was a likely change that the worst could occur.

From the inside, the darkness continued to attack him, sending painful chills through his heart. Had he bitten off more than he could chew? Riku wasn't quite sure, but one thing was certain: he wouldn't be able to see Sora right now. Not when he was slowly growing more and more irate as moments passed, his body slouching instead of sitting up straight, while he coughed out more and more dark residue. All the while, there was twisted laughter in the back of his mind, mocking him…

He sat still for a few moments, not doing a thing, aside from trying to refrain from any rash actions. All the while, Ansem's presence resonated within him, along with that of Anti Sora, taunting him with maniacal screeches. Riku could only fight them off with that bit of hope inside that he would return home with his friends eventually, but even then, the darkness was taking its toll. In actuality, his focus was so stuck on controlling himself that he failed to hear the sound of boots hitting the floor, heading his way...

_Clink, clink_

"Well, what do we have here?"

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

_**Outside Merlin's House**_

"Gawrsh, it's too bad ya guys won't be stayin'. Sora'd really wanna meet ya!"

Standing outside Merlin's House once more, both Donald and Goofy, who had already awakened, prepared to say goodbye to Axel and Roxas, who, as they had said, were going to head off on their way. Though they hated to admit it, both of them had gotten so used to Roxas, and even his rather sarcastic friend, after this whole charade that it would be strange to imagine their adventure without them tagging along. Still, there wasn't much they could do about it, as the two nobodies had made up their minds.

Roxas sighed, leaning back against the Gummi Ship, which had remained in place since they had arrived; in all honesty, he too was a bit dismayed at this parting moment, but he had to remember that seeing Sora in his normal state was a big risk. "I know," he said, looking at Goofy with a weak smile. "Part of me wishes that I could stay, but…I just can't." Donald raised an eyebrow at this and crossed both of his arms.

"And why not? It's not like Sora would hurt ya," he said. "Sure, he was dangerous before, but now he's back to normal! Besides, like Goofy said, he _really_ wants to meet you." Sighing once more, Roxas shook his head.

"It's…a long story, but we really should be going now. I can't risk seeing Sora, even if he _wants _to… Sorry." With that, he pushed himself away from the ship and headed towards Axel, frowning slightly; if anything, he was worried that Sora wanting to see him meant that he would have to fuse, which wasn't anything Roxas would enjoy. Looking up at Axel, he gave an approving nod, so that the two of them could head off to another world.

"Well," said Axel slyly, forming the dark corridor, "it's been nice knowing ya, but Roxas and I are OUT of here. Got it memorized?" He paused momentarily, snapping his fingers as a small flame shot at the ground near Donald's feet, causing him to leap out of the way. "Anyway, roast duck, tell the kid to be careful, ok? We don't need another accident like this to happen; it's bad enough that Marlux—er, never mind." Groaning, all that Donald could do was slowly nod, a tad flustered by the little fireball.

"Fine, we'll do it," he groaned, "but only because Sora doesn't need any more of this! But, _anyway_, if you're gonna go, go ahead and beat it…"

For a moment, Roxas hesitated, glancing between Axel, and then to Donald and Goofy. After all this, would they tell Sora that they had seen him? What secrets would they possibly disclose? Questions like these were a plague to the young nobody. Naminé had warned him about Sora, and how dangerous it would be to approach him. Part of him really did believe her and wanted nothing to do with his counterpart, but…after seeing Donald and Goofy, he had begun to wonder if any of this were true; even the memories of Sora made him seem to be a nice person.

Regardless, he knew that it was time to leave, thus, turning away from the two who had stuck with him over the brief time they spent together, Roxas stepped towards the swirling, black portal, clenching both of his fists tightly as he stepped inside, his form being engulfed by the swirling tendrils. Axel too headed into the unknown, but not before giving a final smirk at Donald and Goofy; even he had gotten _slightly _used to the duo. However, now was the time to leave and to head out to another world, so, when both nobodies disappeared from sight, even the doubts were wiped away.

This was all for the better…

**End of Chapter**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**AN: **As I said, this may or may not be good, but I personally think it could have been better. And I know the fight gets summarized half way through, but if I had done EVERY detail, it would have been terribly long. Anyway, the last bit with Riku will be brought up later on, but I wanted to leave you guys with a cliffhanger. Feel free to speculate, but it's _not_ someone from the Organization that was there, I will say that. Oh, and there WILL be more Roxas, but the scenes with him will be like they had been prior to him meeting with Donald and Goofy, IE, switching off between Sora and Roxas chapters.

Lastly, a preview for the next chapter in all its Pridelands glory…

**Heartless, heartless everywhere. It seemed that, for whatever reason, this strange savannah was filled to the rim with the beasts. From their knife-like claws to their strong looking bodies and sharp fangs, it was clear that Sora and company would be in for quite the fight; the fact that they were not used to their new, more animal forms did not help in this situation either. Their tales whipped about, as the lion-like heartless came closer and closer to the trio, snarling viciously.**

**Donald, who was barely able to keep his smaller form up in the air while carrying his staff gave the others a nervous look, which Sora returned, fear shining upon his visage. Even the normally cheery Goofy found himself hiding within his newfound turtle shell. Meanwhile, the lioness leading the pack could only cackle with glee, her long, narrow face twisting into a contorted grin. Things sure weren't looking good…**

Yes, I am acknowledging that Zira existed during the TLK1 timeline. Anyway, reviews are appreciated, etc.


	23. On the Road Again

…It's been ANOTHER long update. Blame school, finals, and just a lack of inspiration in general. I was actually half tempted to go on hiatus for a bit, but now I'm back…

This chapter's a filler, unfortunately…a transition from the Anti Sora thing back to normality, so it's not too exciting, but please bare with me; the next chapter will be more interesting…

**Chapter 19: On the Road Again**

**_Pride Rock_**

**_"_**_So, what's up? You seem kinda, moody today…not that that's a bad thing, of course, your highness…" _

Standing atop a massive, stone cliff were none other than Demyx and Pete, still in lion form. However, they were not alone on the grayed peak, as, standing before them was a gangly, dark colored male with a jet black mane and jade eyes, a scar lining one of them, glaring at the two outsiders in fascination, though not the best kind. He snarled, as if incredibly frustrated in something, which led to the confusion of the others.

The male, Scar, growled at the two, pushing his head forward, teeth bared. "I've been told of something…interesting," he said, his voice lined with terrible malice. Whimpering, Demyx gave a nod to the larger lion.

_"Oh…so you've heard, huh?"_ he replied, body trembling ever so slightly. _"I swear I was just going about my business and, uhm…we were sending some heartless into places outside the borders of your kingdom, sir, and we found…something…and, well, it was him."_

"The hyenas lied," Scar said, remaining still. "Years ago, they had claimed that Simba had died, yet now I see them for the imbeciles they really are. And what's worse is, by now, that wretched cub must be as strong as his father!" Nodding, Demyx couldn't help but give another slight groan; it was clear that Scar was beginning to become _very_ angry.

_"He's pretty big if that's what you mean," _answered Demyx with a shrug, _"But it's nothing to worry about. I mean, when we found him, we sent a bunch of heartless, and, well, he didn't exactly do so well. Besides, nobody's there to interfere, so he'll probably be heartless bait! Right?" _Turning towards Pete, he expected to get a positive response, but got nothing more than another snigger from his ally, who then stepped forward with a twisted grin.

"Nobody ta interfere, huh?" said Pete smugly. "What about that Keybearer? Word is, he's goin' around fightin' the heartless! He made mincemeat outta Maleficent, so if he was ta come, who's ta say they wouldn't kick ya to the curb?" Snickering again, Pete seemed pretty amused by the situation, despite the fact that Scar was growing more and more irate by the minute. At the mention of the Keybearer, his visage tensed, and he looked as if he were about to explode with rage.

"KEYBEARER?!" roared Scar, his tail whipping about violently. "Oh, I've heard legends about those fools, visiting other worlds and attempting to _protect_ them. I suppose it would make sense for there to be one, seeing that the heartless once took this world, over a year ago…but NOW?!" Again, Demyx trembled; even if he was a nobody, he knew that this was beginning to get _too_ insane.

_"Look, uh…I got an idea! We can just send some more heartless, so when they come…they'll get caught? Maybe some of your lackeys too? Then they can bring him straight to you!" _

Pausing, Scar thought over Demyx's suggestion, taking in the possibilities. If the Keybearer _were_ to arrive, then it would be best to prepare in advance; the legends often spoke of the power of the Keyblade, and Scar wasn't in a mood to take any risks. Detaining someone with such immense strength would likely prevent any catastrophe, which would certainly work in his favor. With that in mind, he nodded, looking back at the others again.

"Very well. I shall send Zira and the others, if you supply the heartless…"

Grinning, Demyx simply replied, _"Done!"_

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Merlin's House_**

****

_Ya__ think he's gonna be alright, Donald?_

_Of course he is! C'mon, he's been cured already, so why worry?_

_Well, ya never can be so sure. A-hyuck!_

_Hey, he's moving! _

Waking up with a groan, the first thing Sora noticed, as his senses came rushing back to him, was that he was wrapped up in white sheets, warm in a bed, and more than likely inside Merlin's House. He remained still, staring up at the ceiling, as he let himself come to, though, needless to say, was interrupted when, darting his way from the other side of the room, came Donald and Goofy with grins spread wide across their faces. The sight of them both, especially with Goofy's snout in his face, was enough to snap him out of his daze in a flash.

"Wha?!" he exclaimed, jerking upwards. "Ok, I'm up!" For a moment, both of his friends raised a brow, though their expressions softened relatively quick, Donald stepping forward with a wayward strut.

"Glad to see you're finally up, Sora," he said, waving a feathered finger. "Looks like you're back to normal, which is _good._ You don't even wanna KNOW what we had to go through back there." Puzzled, Sora tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow in slight confusion.

"Back to normal...?" At first, Donald's words were confusing; it was almost as if his mind was so foggy that he had forgotten exactly what had occurred during the brief period in his Anti Form. He strained momentarily, trying to think real hard until he got a vague image of what had happened back at Beast's Castle, with Zexion and the other man, followed by small bits of blackness, and lastly, his Anti Form. "…Oh, you mean _that._"

Donald nodded. "Yep, and it took a _lot_ more than Goofy and I to get you back too. Actually, we met—"

"…Roxas, I know. He was there with…some other guy. I don't really remember much, though." Shrugging, Sora looked over towards his two friends in hopes that they would explain the rest; given that he had been buried under the darkness of his Anti Form, there was still a lot that was missing.

Scratching his nose, Goofy said, "Well, that's right! Roxas' buddy…uh…" He looked towards Donald for help, who rolled his eyes.

"Axel."

"That's right! Axel! He's that guy who said he used ta be in Organization XIII, but now he's not or somethin'. Kinda confusin', but he wasn't as bad as he looked. Yup!" At the mention of Axel, Sora's entire visage lit up with curiosity, almost as if he knew the guy…

"Axel…" he said, pondering over the name's origin. "Funny…I…I think I've heard that name before; I just don't remember where... It's really weird," he sighed, looking over to Donald and then towards the floor, "but…never mind that. I mean, it's probably nothing, right? Besides, I'm just glad to be back. "

Smiling, Goofy stepped towards his friend and gave a faint chuckle. "Well, we're glad yer back to, Sora! Too bad that Roxas fella left, though, cuz I know ya wanted ta meet him real bad!" Grinning, Sora gave a nod, feeling far more relaxed now then he had been earlier.

"Anyway," he said with a shrug, pushing himself off the bed as he went, "I think we should get going, right? We've still got a long way to go, especially if we wanna find Riku and King Mickey. Plus, I still haven't met Roxas…well, the way I'm supposed to be." Ignoring the rather startled expressions of his friends, Sora made his way towards the door, reaching for the knob and preparing to give it a turn; even if he had just returned to his normal state, he was eager to get going.

Titling his head, Donald couldn't help but gawk at Sora's sudden action; usually _he_ was the one to rush things, yet, from the looks of it, it was the other way around. Puzzled, he said, "What's the big idea?" Shrugging, Sora glanced back, shifting away from the door.

"I…I guess I'm just in a rush?" he sighed. "I know I just woke up, but after all this, what if Organization XIII's already gone too far? Besides..." –it was here that his expression lightened a bit— "If we stay here, we're not going to get anywhere, right? Gotta focus on the mission…?" To this, both Donald and nodded, looking both strangely pleased, yet concerned at the same time…

"You know," Donald said, scratching his feathery chin with amusement, "I never expected you to say that, Sora…especially since you just changed back, but…" Looking over towards the door, he sighed, "Better to keep moving forward. Besides, the Gummi Ship's already out there."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Sora exclaimed with a grin, "the worlds won't save themselves, after all!" For a moment, Donald and Goofy looked at each other, smiling, all before they both extended a hand each; Sora then proceeded to follow suit.

Grinning, they all exclaimed, "All for one and one for all!"

And from that point, things were settled; they would leave once more to continue their mission throughout the worlds, fighting heartless along the way and trying to find out more about Organization XIII among other things. As they headed for the door, there were still many questions echoing through their minds, not to mention unexplained things, but, for now it was best to let things like this wait for another time. Right now, as they entered the Gummi Ship, bright and red as ever, there were other important matters. Thus, from the moment the ship's engines roared at full blast, any worries were left behind…for now…

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_The Castle that Never Was_**

By now, the castle was all but empty. Many members of Organization XIII had embarked on their missions in the various worlds, leaving the Superior, along with Vexen and Lexaeus, alone in the seemingly endless corridors. They were each seated in their proper thrones, high above the ground, conversing over important matters, such as the fact that Sora was now in a normal state once more. In fact, quite a few times, Xemnas had lashed at Vexen for having a failed experiment that proved quite useless.

_"You see, IV,"_ said the Superior, eyes fixed on Vexen, _"I had given you precise orders, and you failed to comply. Under normal circumstances, such actions would be given proper punishment…"_ As he spoke, Vexen flinched with false fear and concern, but then Xemnas added, _"…However, as it has led to no** harm** on our behalf, this so called accident shall be ignored."_

Overcome with nonexistent relief, Vexen couldn't help but heave a deep sigh; for a moment, he had thought that he would be turned into a dusk for his mistake, but fortunately for him, such was not the case. _"I understand, __Superior__," _he said, still relieved, _"after all, any mishaps could certainly lead to trouble... However, you will find that I have learned my lesson and will heed your orders…that is, if you are trustworthy enough to allow it."_

_"It was a minor setback," _Lexaeus mused, toying with what appeared to be a metallic puzzle of some sort. _"The Keybearer is back to his normal state, so I don't see any problems. He should be on his way to one of the worlds within our alliance, so perhaps things will return to their proper order…" _Nodding, Xemnas' gaze turned away from his colleagues and down towards the colorless ground below.

Down below, along the colorless floor, three dark corridors were opening, revealing, in turn, three members of Organization XIII. Namely, Zexion, followed by both Marluxia and Larxene had emerged from within the dark, swirling portals, and were now standing before the Superior with rather melancholy expressions; after a failed mission, there was no reason to at least appear cheerful. Seeing this, Xemnas shifted in his throne, giving his full attention to the three nobodies.

_"I see that you have returned…" _he said, eyes fixed on Zexion in particular. _"This can only mean that the mission was a failure…" _Heaving a sigh, VI could only nod in agreement.

_"Yes," _he replied, _"the mission was less than desirable… In all honesty, Superior, it was a complete and utter disaster." _Larxene rolled her eyes, tapping a foot impatiently.

_"Disaster?" _she spat. _"That's putting it lightly, shorty. The king's lackeys and that brat Roxas ruined **everything**. I didn't even get to have 'fun' with them, either…"_ Sniggering, Zexion paid no attention to Larxene and continued to focus on Xemnas, a sinister twinkle in his eyes.

_"Yes, it's deplorable; the Keybearer's friends outnumbered us, not to mention that they brought the Beast back to his senses. Had he not been kidnapped in the first place, perhaps we would have made more progress. Actually…I believe all the blame belongs to…"_ –he paused for a moment, a grin spreading across his visage— _"the one who even suggested to capture Sora in the first place." _

Both Marluxia and Larxene snickered at Zexion's notion, as it was crystal clear that Xemnas had requested the capture of Sora. At the same time, Lexaeus and Vexen simply shook their heads, remaining calm and complacent in order to avoid any trouble; though it was only implied, Zexion had insulted the Superior, which was far from a good thing, even if there was a certain lack of emotions within the vicinity.

Xemnas himself narrowed his eyes, giving Zexion a questioning glare. _"Are you implying that I am the cause of this, VI? For, if you are…I can assure you that such is not the case, and that such implications are of utter disrespect." _Shaking his head, Zexion gave a slight snigger, while Marluxia stepped forward, holding a rose as usual.

_"__Superior__," _he said with a grin, _"certainly VI would know better than to give such accusations…More likely than not, he is simply suggesting that you think things through before you allow Vexen to tinker with his equipment." _At that last bit, Vexen gave a snarl, his brow furrowing, and his eyes narrowed. All the while, Xemnas remained motionless and apathetic, simply continuing to stare at the three.

For a moment, he looked towards Vexen and Lexaeus, all before saying, _"Yes… it seems that IV was the root of this…distraction. Without a proper mission, he allowed his curiosity to deviate him from the orders I had given. It was…a setback, certainly, but it shall not prevent us from gaining Kingdom Hearts…" _Turning towards Vexen once more, he added, _"In fact, both IV and V shall be receiving orders for their missions; I know of two particular worlds that are 'free', so to speak…"_

Zexion nodded, still wearing his twisted grin, as he fingered his slip of paper between his gloves. He paused briefly, looking upwards, and exclaimed, _"Understood, __Superior__; it is for the best that Vexen and Lexaeus leave the castle like the others. But, might I have a little word with IV before you send him off? There is something I must discuss in private." _

Xemnas pondered over this; after all of the distractions with the Keybearer, holding back on what could be substantial work for the Organization would likely set them back further. But…on the other hand, Zexion was one of the more mature and intelligent members, thus whatever he had to say would likely be of at least _some_ importance to their cause. As he sat there, he came to the resolve that, yes, there was no harm in a brief meeting between the two members.

_"Very well," _he said, leaning back in his throne, _"you may speak, but be quick; Vexen's mission is of utmost importance, and we cannot take any more risks, if we are to become whole…" _Gazing towards Marluxia and Larxene, he finished his statement, _"as for you two…you are free to do as you please, for now, as is Zexion, as soon as he speaks with IV…" _

With all of the necessary things said, there was no reason to stall any longer. Although a bit confused, Vexen descended from his comfort zone with a quick portal to the floor, and made his way towards Zexion, who was quick to tuck his slip of paper back into his cloak before pressing onwards without a word. In response, Vexen raised a brow, but stalked behind the younger nobody…

Though, whether this was a good choice remained to be seen.

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Gummi_****_ Ship_**

****Once more, the Gummi ship blazed through the blackened void of space, passing unsuspecting worlds as it journeyed on. Through the windows, Sora, who reclined in his seat as Donald took the wheel, gazed out at the stars, as he had done many times before. At the same time, both Donald and Goofy concentrated on steering the ship towards their next destination; the radar had detected a nearby world labeled "Pride Lands", and, seeing as they had yet to venture there, the duo was determined to get there as soon as possible.

With a slight moan, Sora pushed himself upwards, peering towards the screen before him; with nothing to do on the Gummi, he had resorted to either spacing out or staring at the radar for no apparent reason. Eyes focused on the gleaming image, he muttered, "So…how long until we get there? I mean, hasn't it been long enough?"

Donald groaned, clutching onto the controls; given the fact that he was preoccupied with maneuvering the ship, questioning seemed…a bit out there. But, regardless, he said, "It shouldn't be too much longer, Sora. It looks like we're getting pretty close now…" –his fingers tapped a few buttons, as he continued— "Anyway, this world's a lot different than the others, so we'll have to use my magic to fit in."

Goofy nodded, adding, "Yup! We gotta go undercover so we don't start meddlin' and such." To this, Sora shrugged, leaning back into his seat again.

"So, it's gonna be pretty cool then?" he asked, looking at the radar still.

"Who knows?" said Donald, pressing another button. "We'll just have to see when we get there, right about…now!"

The Gummi Ship stopped moving, as, floating before it was what appeared to be a world that was far different than the others. From what Sora could see, there was no civilization or anything; on the contrary, from the distance he and the others were at, it seemed rather dry, with the most notable feature being a large cliff sticking out of the ground. Interested in this, Sora gave Donald and Goofy a wide eyed glance, which they returned.

"So, we gonna land?" Sora asked, tilting his head. "We can't really get anywhere from up here." Donald sighed.

"This place is a but different," he said, as he removed himself from his seat. "They don't have Gummi Ships or anything, so we're gonna have to leave it up here." Raising a brow, Sora gave his friend another confused look.

"But, how're we gonna get back up here then? Couldn't we just hide it?"

Shaking his head, Donald replied, "We'll be fine. After all, we've still got Chip and Dale." And with that, there was a brief shuffling as two small, brown chipmunks bounded atop the control panel in just a matter of seconds, giving a salute. In response to this, Donald gave a nod before continuing to press some buttons. "It's set to beam us somewhere down there. My magic should be able to make us fit in, but remember not to let them know we're from another world. Ok?"

Sora nodded. "Got it."

With that said, the ship began to rumble, and Donald stepped away from the controls. Following suit, both Sora and Goofy removed themselves from their seats, standing right next to their feathery companion, who readied his staff. Both Chip and Dale pressed, or rather, jumped upon the buttons, as a faint, blue aura surrounded them all. All the while, Donald muttered something under his breath. In a matter of moments, however, the three of them were being beamed downwards, towards their next destination…

They reappeared in a place most unusual. The first things that the trio saw were nothing short of rotting trees, a colorless sky, and debris everywhere. The whole area seemed to be lacking in beauty. However, that was not the important thing. Rather, as each of them examined themselves, they found that Donald had indeed worked his magic, as usual.

Sora had strangely become a chocolate colored lion cub, though maintaining his typical traits, such has his hair. As he stood there in awe, he took a moment to look at his newfound paws and tail. At the same time, Goofy was now donning a turtle shell, and Donald with a more bird-like body. This work of magic had proven to be one of the fowl's more incredible displays.

"Whoa," Sora exclaimed, as he attempted to move along the lifeless ground on all fours, "I didn't expect something like _this_, Donald!" –He stumbled ever so slightly, landing face forward on the ground—"But how're we going to fight like this? I mean, I don't have hands right now, so how will I use the Keyblade?"

In response, Donald smirked, saying, "Try using it, and you'll see. But, you just gotta get used to this for now, since there aren't people like us here. Can't look suspicious…" He gave a quick glance left and right, eyes peeled, before adding, "Place looks like it's already been attacked by the heartless, so we'd better be careful."

And Donald was right, for, just a few yards behind the group, crouching down, hidden by a large rock, were _plenty_ of heartless, waiting to strike. Each of them were large, with a feline appearance, though they retained the typical yellow eyes and dark coloring of the heartless. They weren't alone, either, as, a lioness whose jaw was rectangular, and whose body was lean, stood at the front, eyes locked on the Keybearer and his friends.

Her tail flicked this way and that, as she remained in a pouncing position. The appearance of the trio seemed very defenseless; the only one of them with a weapon at the ready was Donald, and he didn't even seem to be aware of their presence. With that in mind, the lioness looked back towards the heartless, giving a cackle before darting forward, the darkened beasts following directly behind her.

One could say that this proved very…surprising…to Sora and company.

The sound of approaching footsteps caused the trio to about-face instantly, but what they saw was far from pleasant…in fact, it seemed that trouble had surrounded them, quite literally, the way Sora and his friends were being surrounded in a matter of seconds. Their blackened forms darted about, circling Sora, Donald, and Goofy, giving them little room to fight…

Heartless, heartless everywhere. It seemed that, for whatever reason, this strange savannah was filled to the rim with the beasts. From their knife-like claws to their strong looking bodies and sharp fangs, it was clear that Sora and company would be in for quite the fight; the fact that they were not used to their new, more animal forms did not help in this situation either. Their tales whipped about, as the lion-like heartless came closer and closer to the trio, snarling viciously.

Donald, who was barely able to keep his smaller form up in the air while carrying his staff gave the others a nervous look, which Sora returned, fear shining upon his visage. Even the normally cheery Goofy found himself hiding within his newfound turtle shell. Meanwhile, the lioness leading the pack could only cackle with glee, her long, narrow face twisting into a contorted grin.

Still, this was not something to merely give up on; even if he couldn't maneuver properly, as the lion heartless pounced this way and that, he wasn't about to give up. His animal form rolled about, trying to run, still unsure how to summon the Keyblade, as Donald made an attempt to lift his staff with his legs. This, however, did not help, as he soon was knocked to the ground by an attacker.

The female lion snickered with amusement as the group pressed on in their fighting. "Oh, Scar will be _so_ pleased," she said, observing the display of violence. "I hadn't imagined that we'd find outsiders here while waiting for the Keybearer…" Again she gave a snigger, while Sora, still weakly attempting to defend himself looked at the female with an angry glare.

"_I'm_ the Keybearer!" he snapped, right as another heartless struck him down. In response, the female burst into even more laughter than before.

"Oh, how _cute_," she said, her grin widening. "The so called hero is…a child! Though, any potential thread should be taken care of…and my darling Scar requested your capture…"—She suppressed another snigger, as one of her paws lifted— "In that case, you and your allies shall be taken directly to him…where you will be unable to interfere."

And, with that said, it became clear that, for once, Sora no longer had the upper hand…

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**_Twilight_********_Town_******

****

Not much had changed in Twilight Town since the little incident with Sora's Anti Form. Children still played in the streets during the afternoon, some perhaps trying to get the odd job or two, while adults peacefully conversed about their daily lives. Even Hayner and his friends had calmed down after the encounter and were now back to hanging out within the Usual Spot, perhaps arguing over Seifer, or maybe wishing away the days of school in order to resume their summer activities. But, for whatever the reason, little of this mattered to Naminé, who found herself standing outside their hangout, a sketchbook in hand.

She wasn't quite sure how long she had stood there; it could have been minutes, hours, or even days. None of this truly mattered to her, however, as she gently stroked a crayon along her paper, creating an image of four friends sharing time together, eating ice cream. The people in question were, of course, Hayner, Pence, Olette, and…Roxas. She sighed, continuing to create this image; it wasn't just for entertainment that she drew, but rather, in hopes of, perhaps, altering memories as she had once done in Castle Oblivion. Anything to give Roxas some friends, a pleasure that she had always lacked…

Or had she? It was true that she had spent her time in the Castle alone, being used as a tool, but even then, she had Riku's Replica to protect her, and Sora had wanted to help her too. It wasn't much, but…it was a memory worth cherishing.

Suddenly, Naminé came to a pause, as the sound of voices from within pulled her away from her sketching. She instantly froze, ears open, wondering what was going on inside…

"Hey, guys, you ever feel like we're being watched?" said the voice of Pence. "I mean, I dunno, doesn't it just seem weird right now?"

"Heck if I know," Hayner's voice replied, sounding as headstrong as ever. "Though I guess you got a point there. I mean, I could've sworn I heard something outside a bit ago. Guess I'd better check it out…"

In that instant, Naminé didn't know what to do. If she were seen, how would they react? Surely they'd catch on that she was watching them from outside? Fearful for being seen, she actually made an attempt to pick up her supplies and leave, but, unfortunately there was no time for this, as the form of Hayner materialized from within, a dumbstruck expression clearly planted on his face.

However, instead of being hostile, he said, "Hey, uh…you new around here or something? Can't say I've seen you around, and you look clueless, seeing as this is _our_ spot…" Naminé's only response, however, was a quiet nod and nothing more. To this, Hayner added, "Hey…something wrong?" Hesitantly, he looked back towards the Usual Spot and then back to Naminé. "Eh, hold on…."

Turning away from Naminé, Hayner stepped towards the entrance of the Usual Spot, shouting, "Guys, get out here, will ya?"

There was a momentary silence, but soon after, the forms of both Pence and Olette emerged, both giving their friend questioning stares. Hayner's response to this was a gesture towards Naminé who had turned her gaze towards the ground, her sketchbook still clutched in hand. Curious, both of them came closer towards her, Olette in the front.

"Hello," she said, smiling. "I'm Olette…" –Naminé nodded, though she refused to lift her head— "I don't think we've met before…but don't worry about Hayner. He's just a bit stubborn." Sighing, Naminé looked up, albeit nervously, nodding again.

"I'm…Naminé…" she replied, her voice but a whisper. Olette nodded, pointing back towards the Usual Spot.

"Why don't you come inside? I'm sure Hayner wouldn't mind as long as you're not with Seifer's gang," she exclaimed. "You look like you could use some friends."

Friends…one thing Naminé had been lacking. The way a total stranger had offered such hospitalities seemed far from normal, yet, as Olette stood there, keeping her joyous expression, she, somehow, managed to smile, moving ever so slightly from the wall and closer to the three teenagers. True, she could have just as easily declined and continued working on her drawings, but this…was so much better.

As she entered the Usual Spot, the one thing she said, though barely audible, was a mere, "Thank you…"

**End of Chapter**

**-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-**

**AN: **Well, that's it for now. As you can see, Sora is indeed back to normal and now in the middle of the next world, which will be covered next chapter in its entirety. I could and would have expanded on it, but it's probably been long enough without an update. As for Naminé, let's just say that she may have a little bit to do with what Hayner was experiencing in the Pre Chapter a bit back, though there's another part of it as well…more will be explained later on, though.

More on the Organization will be heading this way now, along with some more Roxas and Axel later, some Riku tossed in, and some other stuff. School's almost out now, so I'll have plenty of time to dedicate to this fic!

Last but not least, to all of my reviewers, thanks a lot for taking the time to read! I know genfic isn't that popular here, but I appreciate the fact that a lot of you guys put effort into your reviews.

No preview this time, sadly, so, in a nutshell, most of the chapter, if not all, WILL be Pridelands, and it'll be a lot of fun to write.


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